Monday, January 26, 2009
Popcorn Offers More Than a Kernel of Nostalgia
I just read that January 2009 is the 50th birthday of one of our favorite childhood treats – Jiffy Pop®! Yes, that little foil pan required a few minutes of vigorous stovetop shaking before yielding even fewer edible kernels of popped corn—but, it’s still one of our most nostalgic memories of yesteryear!
You’d have to be pretty old not to remember popcorn--according to archaeologists, it’s been around for about 5,000 years now! Columbus, Cortez and other explorers wrote about natives not only eating popcorn, but decorating headdresses and other ceremonial garb with the fluffy white kernels. French explorers reported taking part in an Iroquois dinner that included popcorn soup and popcorn beer! Supposedly, native Americans brought popcorn to the first Thanksgiving, and it made such a good impression on the colonists, they took to eating popped corn for breakfast with sugar and cream—way before anyone ever heard of Wheaties®, Cheerios®, or Rice Krispies®! (Do you think George Washington ever got kernels caught in his wooden teeth?)
Popcorn reached its height of popularity between the first and second World Wars, when Americans tripled their consumption. This was mostly because it was inexpensive even during the Great Depression, and also because war rationing limited the sugar available for other treats. But now, much to every popcorn lover’s delight, we can buy jelly beans in the mouth-watering flavor of buttered popcorn—talk about doubling your pleasure!
For most of us, it’s popcorn’s association with entertainment that keeps it one of our favorite snacks. What’s a trip to the movies without it? Can you imagine the circus, or the county fair, or a ballgame without the smell of popcorn wafting on the air? Of course not! And now that many of us are trying to watch our budgets and spend more time at home, popcorn remains an inexpensive way to turn just another night in front of the TV into a real event! Now is a great time to pop up a batch with our Kettle Popper or Jukebox Popper. Personally, I think it tastes best with a dash of salt, a bit of butter, and a rousing game of Pass The Popcorn™ Movie Trivia!
posted by Betty at
10:30 AM
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