Corn, of the Popped Variety

I'm not a huge fan of popcorn. I don't buy it at the movies, because I think it's always just slightly warm, and the freezing air conditioning in cinemas the cools the whole tub of popcorn before the movie even starts. And I believe that popcorn must be eaten fresh and hot, when the caramel is still slightly soft.


Now, but this popcorn - it's the real good stuff. Freshly popped. Nice, warm and crunchy. Just sweet enough so it's not cloying, with a sprinkling of salt to add an extra something to your taste buds. Lightly coated with butter to make it even more tempting to gobble up the whole bowl.

(Random point: Hmm my fingers look really dark here. And short. And stubby...)

And, it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up. (But it also disappears in 10 minutes.)

I think I've found the perfect homemade snack for homework sessions. Heck, it's so good and easy to make, I might actually pop my own corn for the movies!

Homemade Popcorn
Adapted from Joy the Baker

1/2 cup popcorn
1/8 cup vegetable or grapeseed oil
Knob of butter
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust according to your own taste)

1. Heat oil and butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Make sure that it’s a pan that you can easily lift and shake in the air. Yea… you’ll also want to have two pot holders on hand.
2. Once the oil is hot, pour in the popcorn, sprinkle sugar on top and cover.
3. It will take a few minutes for the first pops, but once the popcorn starts popping, shake continuously until the popcorn is popped. This means that, once the popcorn really starts going, you’ll want to grab the pot with your pot holders, securing the lid, and shake the pot above the flame of the stove for a few seconds, return to the heat, and repeat this process several times throughout the popping process. This will prevent the popcorn from sticking to the bottom of the pan and burning.
4. Transfer to a serving bowl and salt lightly. Mix with a big spoon. The sugar will still be hot, and the popcorn may be sticky. Don’t burn your hands on hot sugar. The popcorn will dry as it cools. Makes 8-10 cups.