Popcorn kernels at the Green City Market.
We love the dog sitter. He’s one of those great kids who is gonna be somebody someday, and we’ll tell folks, “No kidding, he used to dogsit for us…”
I always try to stock up on snacks for him, but the last overnight we planned came up too fast and as we were leaving I timidly said, “well…you know how to make popcorn, right?”
“Sure,” he replied, “Just pop the bag in the microwave.”
Something to pop about
We’re old-fashioned here at the house, and we love making popcorn on the stove, the way Mom used to. In fact, the method I use was taught to me by my BFF’s mom, Alice, who liked to get a pan hot with oil, toss in the kernels and pour salt on top of them before they even popped. She would put a paper towel on top of the pan and secure the paper towel with the lid to catch some of the extra oil and then pop away!
Even more old-fashioned is the over-the-fire popcorn basket of yore — I’ve never had the opportunity to give that a try, but if our next home has a fireplace, I’m for sure going to.
For the Oscars, I want to make a nice big bowl of popcorn and enjoy the evening from the couch, celebrating the long-lasting relationship between the movies and popcorn.
Farm fresh popcorn
Have you tried fresh farm market popcorn? Available at all the markets, its grown locally and helps your local farmer pop a bit of extra income in these lean winter moths. Buy some and take the opportunity to show your child that popcorn doesn’t originate in a bag — they’ll love the experience of stove-popping with you, and they’ll appreciate 8,000 fewer chemicals, too.
Don’t forget the butter and the salt — and if you want to know more than you really want to know about popcorn, visit the Popcorn Growers Association site to read about the history or popcorn and the movies and find some great recipes.
