On a recent overnight trip Husband and I stopped in Crystal City, Texas to check out a historical site (future post) and found Popeye the Sailor Man. The city claims to be the “Spinach Capital of the World,” so it seems appropriate for statue of Popeye and a Spinach Festival that started the day after we were there. The festival featured music, a beauty pageant, carnival, a spinach cook-off and for the first time ever, a spinach-eating contest. Contestants had to eat cans of spinach; I assume they did not have to open them Popeye-style. It was 52 degrees that day so it was cold for us in November. The next day it was warmer.
THE COASTAL CRONE 
Terrific, Jo. I noticed the can under Popeye looked like a Del Monte can. Don’t you love it when you arrive somewhere a festival either just happened yesterday or will happen tomorrow? 😀
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Yes! We could not come back the next day as we had plans. Del Monte has been canning spinach there since 1946 and according to their website also cans beets, carrots, potatoes, green beans and other green veggies. I kept wondering what kind of spinach related food they might have at the festival.TGIF to you!
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Thank you, Jo.
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I can’t believe I had to look up the location of Crystal City. I’ve been to Uvalde plenty of times, but always went west or east from there: never south. Now, I’ll have to do that!
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Check it out sometime! I grew up in Freer but had not been that way in years and there is not much when you leave Freer and head toward Laredo and then turn toward Encinal and go that way.(We were coming from Portland.) But there is plenty of open brush country with elaborate entrances to large ranches. Around Carrizo Springs there is the Texas Olive Ranch. I have bought their olive oil online but never been to the ranch. Tours must be scheduled. Thanks for the visit to my humble home spot!
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This is very cool! I saw a spinach recipe yesterday, sauteed fresh spinach with garlic and crimini mushrooms to dress it up. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t want to be in spinach eating contest …:)
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I can’t imagine people gorging themselves for eating contests! I love fresh spinach and use it instead of lettuce. My favorite much like the one you saw but I have not made it with crimini mushrooms. I cannot eat canned spinach as that is how it was served to me as a child and I hated it. Have a good weekend!
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I agree re canned spinach. I’m not big on spinach but I do love artichoke and spinach dip . So good! 🙂
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I wonder if kids today know about Popeye the sailor man (complete with the song)?
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No, I doubt that most kids these days have ever heard of Popeye the Sailor Man or the song. He was often the cartoon at the movies. Now even the smallest children seem to have their electronic devices to entertain them. Books would be better! But when I think of Popeye now, it was almost adult-like with Brutus always after Olive Oil! Thanks for weighing in on the conversation!
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A Spinach Festival! I love Popeye, and I like the idea to celebrate something healthy. They may need some dental floss with all that canned spinach. 😀
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A spinach festival makes sense since it is grown around there and has been canned by Del Monte since 1946. I keep thinking of different spinach dishes they could have – spinach quiche would be easy to eat as you walked around. Yes, dental floss may have been needed for canned spinach. Here in Portland we have a Wind Festival in April but it is always windy here. Somehow I wish it were celebrating something more tangible! But out in Freer where I grew up they have the Rattlesnake Roundup.
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I am all too familiar with a good Rattlesnake Roundup, ha ha! There’s nothing like that, for sure. I just remembered a great spinach dish: creamed spinach. I like that, haven’t had it in forever. Great southern dish! Happy weekend 😀
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I like spinach but a spinach eating contest? No, not for me
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Oh, I think it is abhorrent to gorge oneself on anything in a contest. Fresh spinach, I love, but could not eat a spoonful of canned. Cheers to not having to eat what we do not like! Take care, Judith!
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Oh Popeye! A Spinach Festival, how cool! 🙂
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What a combination, right? It was going to be set up right behind the statue and the stage and carnival were already there. All we have in Portland is a Wind Festival (no, I am not kidding!) in April. I still cannot get excited about it. Hope all is well with you.
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Wind Festival…! 🙂 🙂
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I used to love Popeye cartoons.
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I thought they were great too! Now it seems rather strange that kids loved such rough, almost adult characters. Cheers for the weekend! I am sure you have a trip planned somewhere to take great photos and share them with us.
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I used to hate spinach until I realized that it wasn’t just messy, smelly, green goop out of a can. A fresh spinach salad or spinach wilted into a pan of wonderfuls on the stove is so yummy… and good for you.
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Me too! Growing up I thought it only came out of a can, and I don’t think the small grocery in my small Texas town even had fresh spinach. Today I love it fresh or even the frozen goes well in a quiche. Something I like and is good for me! Cheers for spinach!
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I wonder how many people remember Popeye and Olive Oil or the song. Thanks for the trip back to my childhood! 😄
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Oh, we do date ourselves if we remember watching Popeye and Olive Oil. And the guy who ate the hamburgers! Weepy or Wimpy? Must look it up and visit Virginia Views!
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I always loved watching the Popeye and Olive cartoon when I first came to this country. I love spinach but my husband doesn’t like it. Happy Thanksgiving Jo !
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Popeye was right up there with Bugs Bunny. I can’t imagine your husband not liking anything you cooked! Have a safe trip!
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Too bad all that wonderfully fresh spinach is turned into the goopy canned variety. Fresh spinach is delicious, plus it has great health benefits. As I get older I find myself being more attracted to foods that are good for me; maybe it will assure a longer life span…
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Oh, I agree! Fresh spinach is better but even frozen for a quiche is better. It is good that you like more healthy foods. My tastes have changed too but I seem to need spicier foods as I get older. Cheers! Thanks for the visit.
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I remember when I was young and couldn’t wait to try canned spinach after watching the Popeye cartoons. Boy, was I disappointed!
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My mother must have made me try canned spinach before I even watched Popeye cartoons because I knew I did not want to eat Popeye’s form of spinach. It has been fun reading comments of memories of Popeye and of spinach tastes. If you are interested, check out the link in a comment by AFrankAngle whose comment and link are before. Today I hope you like fresh spinach at least!
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I love fresh spinach! But I’m embarrassed to say that I didn’t even try to eat it until I was almost thirty, because my memories of the canned stuff were so bad. I mean, why would you try to can spinach? That’s like canning lettuce!
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Popeye is a classic character from our era. I’m sure you aren’t surprised about this, but I’ve written posts about Popeye and his cast of characters. Here’s a past post with links. https://afrankangle.wordpress.com/2015/01/17/on-popeye-day/
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No, I am surprised that you have written about Popeye. I almost did not post my photo as I thought no would would care about it. Thanks for the link to your post. I went to all the other characters’ posts and enjoyed them very much!
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LOL … Glad you posted the pic. Those posts we from back in the day when I did a long-running series called Saturday Morning Cartoons. Thanks for visiting them.
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This made me smile, Jo Nell. We belong to the generation who sang the Popeye Song. And I will say “we did not eat canned spinach”. For a child it tasted horrible. Of course now we eat our spinach and it grows in our garden most of the year. My husband has occasionally been called Popeye. He has rather large back and upper arm development – from years of rock climbing.
I do love a man with muscles!
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Now you made me smile! I can just imagine your husband coming into the house with his arms full of fresh spinach! You are fortunate in two ways: having fresh spinach from your garden most of the year and having a husband with strong arms to bring it to his Olive Oyl! Cheers for men with muscles!
I have to buy my fresh spinach at my local store but I use it instead of lettuce on everything and even on my chalupas.
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I read that Popeye increased American consumption of spinach by one third. 🙂
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That is nice to know! And at least it made some try it and some to try it to get stronger! And it is healthy! I can imagine mothers encouraging sons to eat it to be strong like Popeye.
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When I watched Popeye as a kid (and I didn’t watch him that much, somehow he didn’t appeal to girly little girl me), I had no idea how much I’d agree with him as an adult. Spinach is my FAVORITE food. No lie. I can’t get enough of it! However, I have never eaten it out of a can (yuck!). Fresh or frozen for me. I make a very popular Jack Cheese Spinach Casserole at my home. Perhaps I should attend this festival one of these years and submit it for consideration. 🙂
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Spinach – fresh or frozen – is one of favorites too. I will even order spinach enchilladas if they are on the menu. I googled Jack Cheese Spinach Casserole and found similar under Cheesy Spinach Casserole made with artichokes, spinach, sour cream, Jack cheese and pasta. Does that sound similar to yours? I may have to try it. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
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Popeye was such a lovable character 🙂
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Yes, he was. Who could not like Popeye? Thanks for the visit and comment.
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I guess that a spinach eating contest sounds healthier than many eating contests – but I can’t image eating huge amounts of spinach. Were there many contestants?
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I can’t imagine consuming huge amounts of any food (hot dogs?) for a contest! I don’t know about contestants as we were there the day before the festival started. I would be curious too. How do they measure the amount? But is seems food eating contests are common for many festivals. It would be fun to research what foods are commonly used. I think there is one in Aransas Pass, Texas that has an oyster-eating contest, raw, I think. Thanks for taking time to visit and comment.
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Now I love spinach lol but an eating competition.. Now that I would enjoy watching.. Sorry missed this post.. I was busy getting things ready for my hols.. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Jo and wishing you a wonderful month of December..
Sending hugs your way my friend..
Sue 🙂
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Yes, it would be fun to watch. All ok here and December has started out with great weather and hope for the coming year. Thanks for taking time to comment as I know you are always busy.
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Enjoy… and my pleasure.. LOVE and HUGS xxx
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