Creamed Chipped Beef

Creamed chipped beef got a bad name—and I mean a really bad name —around World War II, when it was prepared for mess halls by conscripted ironmongers and mechanics. There was also a tinned meat called “Spam” that was much abused; its manufacturer complained recently about this lasting damnation and said the G.I.’s were really eating fake Spam. I’ve tasted the real thing and I can’t see why anyone would counterfeit it. But creamed chipped beef, properly made, spooned over a smoking ho