Arguably one of the greatest and most recognizable memes of 2018 still goes to Steamed Hams – a standalone scene from a 1994 episode of The Simpsons that was remixed into other shows and games for months earlier in the year. A search for “WoW Steamed Hams” will get you a few YouTube hits, but we’re talking about something more official here. World of Warcraft Battle for Azeroth, the newest expansion to Blizzard’s popular MMORPG, includes a nod to Principle Skinner’s old family recipe on the top shelf of a burning house.
World of Warcraft has been including references in its quests and items since the days of the base game back in 2004, with one of the most famous being a nod to Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda series through a questchain in the Un’Goro Crater zone on Kalimdor. The Sholazar Basin zone in Northrend even pays homage to the hatch from LOST with the famous numbers etched on top appearing as mouse-over text.
But the stand-out reference of World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth right now is that of a lonely meal found in a metal lockbox.
It’s one of those “squint and you’ll miss it” moments with a random item called “An unforgettable luncheon”, referencing part of the line Skinner says to Superintendent Chalmers as he waves his superior into his home for a meal.
Those unfamiliar with the internet sensation will think nothing of it, but the quotation underneath, which reads, “Delightfully devilish,” is part of another line Skinner utters to himself as he hatches the plan to disguise fast food as his own cooking. Open the box and you’ll find four Steamed Clams and a bottle of Aurora Borealis each with their own quote. We won’t explain each and every one, but Steamed Ham fans will surely appreciate the accuracy of the reference.
We can’t confirm whether other players will find it in the same place that we did, but those looking to grab a piece of pop culture history in Warcraft form should look around the houses in Brennadam Square in the Stormsong Valley zone of Kul Tiras. The box was found on a high shelf on the left side of a decimated home. A bit of careful climbing might be necessary. If you’re too lazy to go on the hunt, you can apparently just buy the box from an Innkeeper in the zone. Steamed Clams for all!
