Bet You Find At Least One Of These To Be Useful... I did!!!

Happy National Popcorn Day – Yum!!

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By Terry Orr

Popcorn is one of good for you snack’s – that you can enjoy anytime and anywhere.  I keep a good supply of Movie Time Popcorn from Trader Joe’s on hand.  It is already popped, in a bag and can generally make it last for two and sometime three servings.  We also keep a nice supply of microwave popcorn and Bob Scout popcorn.

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There seems to be an endless list of different ways to prepare your favorite popcorn toppings and flavors – from butter, salted, caramel, chocolate, cheese, and just about anything you can imagine.  My favorite is little to no salt and a very little butter flavoring.  Still have a sweet-tooth for Cracker Jacks a couple times a year.

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According to punchbowl.com - Americans eat about 16 billion quarts of popcorn each year (about 51 quarts per person), which makes it one of the most popular snacks in the country. It is also one of the oldest.

From popcorn.org – Some Fun Facts about popcorn:

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·        Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.

·        Of the 6 types of maize/corn—pod, sweet, flour, dent, flint, and popcorn—only popcorn pops.

·        Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also know as the hull).

·        Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.

·        Many people believe the acres of corn they see in the Midwest during growing season could be picked and eaten for dinner, or dried and popped. In fact, those acres are typically field corn, which is used largely for livestock feed, and differs from both sweet corn and popcorn.

·        The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.

·        Most popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it's popped: snowflake and mushroom. Snowflake is used in movie theaters and ballparks because it looks and pops bigger. Mushroom is used for candy confections because it doesn't crumble.

·        Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a "popcorn" control button.

·        How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.

·        The world’s largest popcorn ball was created by volunteers in Sac City, Iowa in February, 2009.  It weighed 5,000 lbs., stood over 8 ft. tall, and measured 28.8 ft. in circumference.

·        If you made a trail of popcorn from New York City to Los Angeles, you would need more than 352,028,160 popped kernels!

So good ahead – buy a bag or pop your favorite popcorn today and celebrate this enjoyable snack.

References and Links:

http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/PopcornPoppinMonth/FunPopcornFacts/tabid/118/Default.aspx

National Popcorn Poppin' Month

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By Terry Orr

Life on the Internet can be a mixed blessing and deep dark hole of frustration.  Today, I want to share one of those unique and super resources that you will visit frequently if you’re a popcorn lover like me.  October is National Popcorn Poppin’ Month, so named because it is when popcorn is harvested in the Midwest. 

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According to Wikipedia - Popcorn was first discovered thousands of years ago by the Guatemalans. It is one of the oldest forms of corn: evidence of popcorn from 3600 BCE was found in New Mexico and even earlier evidence dating to perhaps as early as 4700 BCE was found in Peru.

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Fun Popcorn Facts (from www.popcorn.org)

• Americans consume some 16 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat. That’s 51 quarts per man, woman, and child.
• Compared to most snack foods, popcorn is low in calories. Air-popped popcorn has only 31 calories per cup. Oil-popped is only 55 per cup.
• Popcorn is a type of maize (or corn), a member of the grass family, and is scientifically known as Zea mays everta.
• Of the 6 types of maize/corn—pod, sweet, flour, dent, flint, and popcorn—only popcorn pops.
• Popcorn is a whole grain. It is made up of three components: the germ, endosperm, and pericarp (also known as the hull).
• Popcorn needs between 13.5-14% moisture to pop.
• Popcorn differs from other types of maize/corn in that is has a thicker pericarp/hull. The hull allows pressure from the heated water to build and eventually bursts open. The inside starch becomes gelatinous while being heated; when the hull bursts, the gelatinized starch spills out and cools, giving it its familiar popcorn shape.
• Most U.S. popcorn is grown in the Midwest, primarily in Indiana, Nebraska, Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky and Missouri.
• Many people believe the acres of corn they see in the Midwest during growing season could be picked and eaten for dinner, or dried and popped. In fact, those acres are typically field corn, which is used largely for livestock feed, and differs from both sweet corn and popcorn.
• The peak period for popcorn sales for home consumption is in the fall.
• Most popcorn comes in two basic shapes when it's popped: snowflake and mushroom. Snowflake is used in movie theaters and ballparks because it looks and pops bigger. Mushroom is used for candy confections because it doesn't crumble.
• Popping popcorn is one of the number one uses for microwave ovens. Most microwave ovens have a "popcorn" control button.
• "Popability" is popcorn lingo that refers to the percentage of kernels that pop.
• There is no such thing as “hull-less” popcorn. All popcorn needs a hull in order to pop. Some varieties of popcorn have been bred so the hull shatters upon popping, making it appear to be hull-less.
• How high popcorn kernels can pop? Up to 3 feet in the air.
• The world’s largest popcorn ball was created by volunteers in Sac City, Iowa in February, 2009.  It weighed 5,000 lbs., stood over 8 ft. tall, and measured 28.8 ft. in circumference.
• If you made a trail of popcorn from New York City to Los Angeles, you would need more than 352,028,160 popped kernels!

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When thinking of popcorn, often I think of the ending of the 1985 movie “Real Genius” with Val Kilmer and others. 

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Popcorn.org has a wonderful free download of Popcorn recipes – 142 pages worth.  I’ll be printing it shortly and trying out new recipes.

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References and Links:

• http://resources.popcorn.org/client_files/recipes/popcorn_recipe_book.pdf
• http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/PopcornPoppinMonth/PressRelease/tabid/155/Default.aspx
• http://www.popcorn.org/AboutUs/PopcornPoppinMonth/tabid/72/Default.aspx

National Popcorn Day

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 By Akindman,

I do not recall the first time popcorn was introduced to me – but know full well that it’s an excellent snack that is enjoyed most anytime.  Campfires, stovetop cooking, air poppers, Popcorn Machines, and microwave all have their advantages.  I do remember Mom and Dad popping full grocery paper bags full when we went to the Drive-In.  Those were special times for our family.

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In the mid-1980’s there was a movie starring Val Kilmer, Real Genius, where Popcorn was put to another use.

Popcorn has been around for centuries. It is one of six main varieties of corn. Popcorn originated in Mexico, but eventually made its way north. In 1948, archaeologists in the state of New Mexico discovered ancient popcorn ears that were at least 5,600 years old! The Native Americans (in both North and South America) popped their corn by throwing it on hot stones over a fire.

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Well this article is a day late in posting - seems a visit to the emergency room and subsequent  gallbladder removal too a higher priority - and on my birthday no less.  I was in great hands throughout the day and night, and my loving (nurse) wife is taking good care of me now.  So I'll continue working on getting articles ready and post over the next few days while in recovery.  Many thanks for visiting and wishing all the very best.