This is just a guess, I wonder if he meant Spiedies?

They are made with chunks of marinated meat, I think it can be any meat. I also think they are Italian in origin. Perhaps you will get more help from someone familiar with them.

you may be correct about the potatoes, though, werent cast-iron skillets sometimes called spiders? Therefore, he might have meant something cooked in a cast-iron skillet. Hmmm, now I have to go check some reference books! If I find out anything, I'll post for you.