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For Cram that appear in the Fallout series, see Cram. |
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Cram is a consumable in Fallout 76.
Background[]
A commonplace element of pre-War cuisine in the United States, thanks to pervasive promotional campaigns, [1][2] Cram refers to a particular brand of precooked, spiced, and highly preserved meat that can remain edible for centuries, made using heavy water, salts, and pork byproducts.[3] Produced in vast quantities to remedy food shortages, supply school lunches,[4] and provide protein to deployed soldiers, Cram comes in an easily openable can that is highly prized by survivalists[Non-game 1] and was used as a substitute for many meals before and after the War, including clam chowder.[5] Its ubiquitous nature led to it becoming a common expression among wastelanders, with "Cram opening" referring to opening a particularly resistant can of food.[6]
While it remains a prized source of protein, necessary for building up muscle mass, even two centuries after the war,[7] the actual taste of cram leaves a lot to be desired.[8] Described as gross,[9] weird,[10][11] and almost edible if properly processed,[12] cram remains a staple food in the American wastelands, despite its horrific taste.[13] Even then, some recipes, like cramburger,[14] toe the line between edible and food crime.[15] Anyone overindulging in cram is liable to suffer severe constipation.[16][17] The food, along with its container, has also seen use as an improvised sex toy for males.[18]
Characteristics[]
Cram is processed meat in a blue labeled tin, primarily used as rations for soldiers during the Pre-War times.
Locations[]
- One can be found in the Morgantown's Red Rocket
Behind the scenes[]
Cram's presentation is a parody of Spam, down to the same style of packaging and font. In Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas, it was shown to come in a cardboard box, instead of Spam's signature tin can. In Fallout 4, its container was changed to a tin can full of the meat substance with a pull tab to open the container, further likening it to its real-world counterpart.
References[]
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout: The Roleplaying Game Rulebook p.153: "A tin of processed meat produced in vast quantities pre-War to address food shortages and serve as a meat ration for soldiers. The tin, with an easy-open pull tab, helps keep the contents preserved for long periods, making Cram more useful for survivalists and those scavenging for food"
- ↑ Pioneer Scout Badge Exam answers, Cook Exam: "Now for a special sponsored question from CRAM: 'When in doubt, just go with...' CRAM!"
- ↑ G.A.S. prize certificate
- ↑ Visit Vault 33 NOW!; Cram
- ↑ D.B. Technical High School PA system: "Your lunch choices for today are Grilled Cram and Cheese, or Salisbury Steak."
(D.B. Technical High School PA system's dialogue) - ↑ Portside Pub happy hour menu
- ↑ Cram Opener
- ↑ Piper Wright: "Wow. Someone's been eating their Cram."
(Piper Wright's dialogue) Note This line is spoken if she is the active companion and the player starts combat with a super mutant behemoth. - ↑ Daphne: "Abracadabra! Presto change-o! I turn this box of Cram into a brahmin steak dinner! Medium rare! And now we wait. Spells are pretty slow."
(Daphne's dialogue) - ↑ Insult bot: "I've seen you you eat Cram, dog food, and a thirty-year-old hot dog. If you're trying to make me sick, next time just show me your face!"
(Insult Bot's dialogue) - ↑ Sam Nguyen: "To survive, you gotta do a lot of weird shit. This one time, I had to eat an entire closet full of Cram, because all the regular food went bad and there was just nothing else. I'm not sure I ever got that taste out of my mouth. I'm basically more Cram than human at this point."
(Sam Nguyen's dialogue) - ↑ Initiate Clarke's log, Trip 7: "Trip 7
Five more crates today: three Cram, one mac & cheese, and some kind of dried meat. Judging from the stench, probably mole rat.
The Ghouls didn't touch the mac, but they almost came to blows over the mole rat jerky. They even ate the Cram. I think they're starting to get used to it by now." - ↑ Brotherhood mess officer: "If you fry up a hunk of Cram with a little Nuka-Cola, it almost tastes like food."
(Brotherhood mess officer's dialogue) - ↑ Everyone is gone
- ↑ Recipe: Cramburger
- ↑ Yasmin Chowdhury: "Crambuger? I'm not sure that recipe can be rescued."
(Yasmin Chowdhury's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "We'll see."
Rowdy: "I've been putting off hauling myself over the pond to Warwick for this, but now you get to do it. This here's something I've been fixing up, part of the pump system at Warwick. Thing was clogged up like Zeke after one too many cans of cram. I want you to go to the pump shed there and install it."
(Rowdy's dialogue) - ↑ The Sole Survivor: "What's a dead drop?"
Robert MacCready: "I had one of those once after I ate a bad batch of Cram. Spent eight hours on the can."
Carrington: "Oh, dear lord. A dead drop is a mailbox with a railsign on it. It's a common means of communication for us, so keep an eye out for them. When you make contact with Stockton he won't give you the time of day unless you give him the proper countersign. The current sign is, "Do you have a geiger counter?" And the counter is, "Mine is in the shop." Please tell me Deacon taught you that, at least?"
(Robert MacCready's and Carrington's dialogue) - ↑ The Courier: "Usually, I can find some Cram lying around. Put some duct tape around the lid, good to go."
Doctor 8: "@@[=$+<_--*]@@? @@[$((((..%]@@. @@[$------$]@@! @@[*.......]@@ @@[*.......]@@ @@[$------$]@@"
(Doctor 8's dialogue)