Happy National Popcorn Day!
I know, I’ve never heard of it either, but I’m a popcorn fan, and it’s not only tasty, it’s pretty healthy, too, so let’s go with it! Even the Popcorn Board doesn’t know how the holiday started, but they also observe it on January 19th. Here are some fun facts about popcorn.
* Popcorn kernels can pop almost 3 feet into the air.
* 2 tablespoons of kernels yield 1 quart of popped popcorn.
* The first European to see popcorn was Cortez, who witnessed Aztecs using it when he invaded what is now Mexico.
* Popcorn is a whole grain comprised of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also know as the hull). (There is no such thing as “hull-less” popcorn. All popcorn needs a hull in order to pop.)
* Unlike other kinds of corn, popcorn has a thicker pericarp/hull, which allows pressure from the heated water to build. As the kernel heats up, the starch inside becomes gelatinous. When the hull bursts from the pressure, that gelatinized starch spills out and cools, and you have popcorn.
* That starch can be either mushroom shaped, or snowflake (irregular) shaped. The snowflake shape is what is served at movie theaters, because it is bigger.
* The Guinness World Records 2015 states that the world’s largest popcorn ball was created in 2013 at the Indiana State Fair and weighed in at 6,510-pounds, 8 feet in diameter. That is a BIG popcorn ball.
* Popcorn was eaten as a breakfast food in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, and is considered to be a model for more modern breakfast cereals.
* Popcorn was one of the few confections to show an increase of sales during the Great Depression. It was so cheap at five or ten cents that even poor families could splurge on it on occasion. The increase in sales also coincided with the rise of movies and the addition of popcorn to movie theaters. When television became more popular in the 1950’s, however, popcorn sales dropped off. Over time, though, people started enjoying more popcorn at home and sales improved. Now, most popcorn is consumed in the home.
Making your own caramel corn is pretty simple Recipe for Easy Oven Caramel Corn (from Popcorn.org)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3 quarts popped popcorn
Directions
- Cream butter; add brown sugar and whip until fluffy. In a large baking pan (I suggest using a Silpat on the pan if you have one), combine popcorn.
- Mix in creamed mixture.
- Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp.
- Serve warm if desired.
Source: Popcorn Board
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