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JOHN WAYNE ATE POPCORN.
OH, YEAH.
IF THERE'S A SNACK FOOD THAT'S MORE AMERICAN,
I CAN'T THINK OF IT.
I MEAN, AFTER ALL, CORN, OR MAIZE,
AS THE REST OF THE WORLD CALLS IT,
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEW WORLD FOOD OF ALL,
AND POPCORN IS CERTAINLY THE MOST AMERICAN FORM
OF SAID CEREAL.
(man) SHH.
THINK ABOUT IT.
POPCORN TASTES GREAT, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
AND IT GOES OFF LIKE FIREWORKS WHEN YOU COOK IT.
WHAT COULD BE MORE AMERICAN?
HEY, SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT.
SORRY.
BUT LIKE SO MANY CRUCIAL ELEMENTS OF AMERICANA,
WE'VE ALLOWED POPCORN TO FALL FROM GRACE.
WHAT WERE ONCE FLAVORFUL SNOWFLAKES,
PERFECT AND UNIQUE,
HAVE BEEN SUPPLANTED WITH FLAVORLESS PACKING MATERIALS,
GROWN FOR YIELD RATHER THAN FLAVOR OR TEXTURE.
QUITE DOWN FRONT.
OH...
TO MAKE UP FOR THIS, TODAY'S AVERAGE BOWL OF POPCORN
HAS BEEN BATHED IN NOXIOUS FLAVOR AND--
THAT'S SO RUDE.
AND DOSED UP WITH SO MUCH SALT,
YOU COULD MAKE A MINI LOT'S WIFE.
EXCUSE ME, SIR.
JUST A SECOND.
AS FOR THE POPPING ITSELF...
SIR?
WHAT USED TO BE A COMMUNAL ACT, BONDING FAMILIES,
FRIENDS, LOVERS--
SIR.
HAS BEEN LEFT TO BIG INDUSTRY, OR WORSE--
SIR?
CONSIGNED TO THAT SOULLESS BOX, THE MICROWAVE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S IT, SIR. COME ON.
JUST, HEY, LOOK...
WELL, I SAY IT'S TIME FOR POPCORN LOVERS TO TAKE--
(man) SIT DOWN, YOU FREAK.
BACK THE SNACK.
TAKE BACK THE SNACK!
COME ON.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY IS POPCORN GOOD AND GOOD FOR YOU,
IT'S GOOD CLEAN FUN,
WHATEVER...
NOT TO MENTION...
♪♪
Captioning provided by Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
ALTHOUGH POPCORN HAS ALWAYS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE
IN THE PANTHEON OF AMERICAN POP CULTURE--
(chuckles)
(man) POPCORN. GET YOUR POPCORN.
TRUTH IS, A LOT OF THAT CULTURE
IS COMPLETE FABRICATION.
HOT, FRESH POPCORN.
FOR INSTANCE, MOVIE THEATERS HAVE NOT ALWAYS SOLD THE STUFF.
UH, YEAH. IN THE OLD DAYS,
THEATER OWNERS USED TO RENT SPACE
OUTSIDE THEIR PLACES TO LOCAL POPCORN VENDORS
WHO USED TO MOVE THEIR CARTS AROUND THE CITY.
YEAH, IT WASN'T UNTIL THE DEPRESSION
WHEN A 5-CENT BAG OF POPCORN SEEMED LIKE AN AFFORDABLE LUXURY,
THE MOVIE THEATERS GOT WISE AND STARTED POPPING THEIR OWN.
TODAY, A VAST MAJORITY OF A THEATER'S PROFITS COMES FROM POPCORN.
NOW HERE'S ANOTHER MYTH. YOU KNOW THAT FIRST THANKSGIVING?
THERE WAS NO POPCORN.
UNH-UNH.
OUR ONLY RELIABLE ACCOUNT OF THAT EVENT,
A 1622 BOOK CALLED, "MORT'S RELATION,"
OLD MAN MORT, HE NEVER EVEN MENTIONED THE STUFF.
IN FACT, POPCORN DIDN'T BECOME POPULAR IN THE EASTERN UNITED STATES
UNTIL 19th-CENTURY WHALERS...
19th-CENTURY WHALERS
BROUGHT IT UP FROM CHILE.
BROUGHT IT BACK FROM CHILE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. NOW IN THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST...
AH, THAT'S ANOTHER STORY.
YOU LOOK REALLY FAMILIAR TO ME.
OH, YEAH?
WAIT TILL YOU SEE THE NEXT SCENE. WHA!
(grunting) WELCOME TO BAT CAVE,
CATRON COUNTY, NEW MEXICO.
THESE CAVERNS ONCE HOUSED
AN ANCIENT AGRARIAN SOCIETY
WHO WERE HEAVILY DEPENDENT UPON MAIZE
FOR THEIR NUTRITION.
BECAUSE OF THE COOL, DRY MICROCLIMATE HERE,
THESE CAVERNS ARE A FANTASTIC PLACE
TO FIND REMAINS OF--UM--
ANCIENT STRAINS OF MAIZE.
WHEW.
YOU KNOW, ALTON,
SCIENTISTS HAVE BEEN WORKING HERE FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS,
AND THEY FOUND CORN TASSELS AND CORN HUSKS
AND EVEN LITTLE TINY EARS OF ANCIENT POPCORN
STILL ON THE COB.
REALLY?
YEAH.
DID YOU THINK ABOUT THINK ABOUT (breathing heavily)
A NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGIST?
BECAUSE I KNOW I WASN'T THINKING ABOUT
A NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGIST.
WELL, TODAY, I'M NOT A NUTRITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGIST.
TODAY, I AM AN ARCHEO-ETHNOBOTANIST.
YEAH?
YEAH.
WELL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?
I'M WORKING.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE BESIDES TRAMPLING ALL OVER MY DIG?
WELL, SORRY... I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME 1,000-YEAR-OLD POPCORN.
OH, WELL, JUST LOOK AROUND 'CAUSE THIS PLACE IS FULL OF IT,
AND IT STILL POPS, TOO.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS SOAK IT IN A LITTLE WATER AND LET IT GO.
WOW.
BUT IT'S AN ANCIENT FORM OF ZEA MAYS,
BUT THE KERNELS ARE SO HARD,
THE ONLY WAY FOR PEOPLE TO GET AT THE NUTRITION
WAS TO POP IT OPEN.
WOW. WELL, TELL ME SOMETHING.
HOW DID THE NATIVE AMERICANS POP IT
WHEN THEY WEREN'T KNOWN FOR USING
A FAT AS A COOKING MEDIUM?
SAND.
SAND?
SAND.
YOU PUT THE KERNELS IN A 3-LEGGED POT FULL OF SAND.
IT WAS PLACED ON THE FIRE,
AND THEN WHEN THE SAND GOT HOT ENOUGH,
THE KERNELS WOULD POP UP TO THE SURFACE.
COOL. I WONDER WHO THOUGHT OF THAT?
WELL, IT WAS PROBABLY AN ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY,
BUT I CAN IMAGINE THAT BACK IN THE OLD DAYS,
SITTING AROUND THE CAMPFIRE AT NIGHT,
THAT POPPING POPCORN COULD HAVE BEEN A FORM OF ENTERTAINMENT.
TOO BAD THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY BUTTER.
WELL, THEY PROBABLY POUNDED IT WITH WATER
INTO SOME SORT OF A GRUEL OR MUSH.
WOW, THAT SOUNDS...
NUTRITIOUS.
VERY NOURISHING.
TELL ME SOMETHING, DEB, I DON'T SEE ANY BATS. I DON'T SMELL ANY BATS.
WHY DO THEY CALL THIS BAT CAVE?
AH, DEBORAH, THERE YOU ARE...
AND WITH THE POPCORN.
EXCELLENT.
WE NEED YOU BACK IN THE BAT KITCHEN.
CITIZEN...
SORRY, ALTON, GOTTA GO. THE BOYS NEED ME.
YEAH, I BET THEY DO.
WHO WRITES THIS STUFF?
(grunting)
THE NEXT TIME YOU SET OUT TO PURCHASE POPCORN,
CONSIDER THE CRITERIA OF THE BIG POPCORN GROWERS--
WHAT ABOUT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE?
WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THEY DON'T REALLY ENTER THE EQUATION,
WHICH, IF YOU ASK ME, IS A DARN GOOD REASON
TO SEEK OUT THE OLD VARIETIES,
WHICH COME IN TWO BASIC SHAPES.
THERE ARE THE PEARLS, WHICH ARE SMOOTH AND ROUND,
AND RICE, WHICH ARE KIND OF POINTY.
NOW HERE WE HAVE THE PINK DIAMOND,
PURPLE AMETHYST, BABY BLACK PEARL,
SOUTHWEST GOLD, BABY BLUE SAPPHIRE,
BABY PEARL, RED RUBY,
BABY YELLOW TOPAZ, BLUE SAPPHIRE,
AND PETITE PRINCESS AMBER.
NOW EACH ONE OF THESE HAS A DISTINCT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE
AND A DISTINCT POP SIZE,
BUT DON'T BE DECEIVED BY THE COLOR.
EXCEPT FOR THE WHITE VARIETIES,
WHICH WILL ALWAYS POP UP WHITE,
THEY'RE ALL YELLOW DEEP DOWN WHERE IT COUNTS.
WHY IS POPCORN OUR ONLY EXPLODING FOOD?
WELL, LET'S PONDER SOME OF THE PARTS INVOLVED.
FIRST THERE IS THE PERICARP.
OKAY, NOW ALL GRAINS HAVE THIS HARD OUTER SHELL,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
THE PERICARP IS UNUSUALLY HARD,
AND IT'S UNIQUE IN THE FACT
THAT IT CAN ABSORB AND RADIATE HIGH AMOUNTS OF HEAT
TO THE INTERIOR OF THE KERNEL
WITHOUT ACTUALLY BURNING.
ALL GRAINS ALSO HAVE AN INTERIOR FUEL TANK, OR ENDOSPERM,
COMPOSED OF TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF STARCH,
BOTH HARD AND SOFT.
POPCORN, HOWEVER, POSSESSES AN UNUSUALLY HIGH PERCENT
OF THE HARD TYPE OF STARCH, OKAY?
NOW, PROPER DETONATION
REQUIRES BETWEEN 13% AND 15% WATER,
WHICH IN THIS CASE IS THE ACTUAL EXPLOSIVE AGENT.
NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO
IS SEAL THIS THING UP TIGHT.
THERE, THAT OUGHT TO STAY PUT.
(German accent) AND NOW WE APPLY ZEE HEAT.
(normal voice) AH, THERE.
NOW AS THE WATER INSIDE BOILS,
IT TURNS INTO STEAM, RIGHT?
AND THAT MEANS IT INCREASES IN VOLUME BY A FACTOR OF--
I DON'T KNOW--40 OR 50, AND THAT APPLIES A HUGE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE
ON THE INSIDE OF THE KERNEL.
NOW MOST VARIETIES OF MAIZE ARE LOADED WITH SOFT STARCH
WHICH CAN'T POSSIBLY HOLD THAT MUCH PRESSURE.
POPCORN, BEING LOADED WITH HARD STARCH, CAN,
SO RIGHT NOW, THE PRESSURE IS BUILDING AND BUILDING.
EVENTUALLY, THE STEAM WILL COMBINE WITH THE STARCH
TO CREATE SOMETHING KIND OF LIKE LAVA.
WHEN THE PRESSURE REACHES A CRITICAL POINT--
(chuckles) WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE FUN.
(pot making popping noise)
THE PERICARP RUPTURES,
SPEWING HOT LIQUID STARCH IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
AS THE PRESSURE IS RELEASED,
THE CORN--LAVA-- BEGINS TO COOL AND SET
INTO THIS RATHER CURIOUS SHAPE.
NOW IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS A PHONE,
I'D APPRECIATE IT IF YOU WOULD DIAL 911,
AND I'LL JUST WAIT HERE.
UGH.
HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES POPCORN SPECIFICALLY AMERICAN.
IT WAS GREATLY POPULARIZED AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING OF POPCORN POPPERS.
IF THAT'S NOT AN AMERICAN CONCEPT,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
NOW BACK THEN, POPPERS WERE HEARTH-BASED APPLIANCES.
THAT IS, THEY WERE MEANT TO BE USED OVER A FIRE.
NOW THE EARLIEST MODELS
WERE ESSENTIALLY JUST WIRE MESH BOXES WITH WOODEN HANDLES.
THERE'S NO MEDIUM TO EVENLY MOVE HEAT INTO THE KERNELS,
SO THIS METHOD, UH, TAKES FOREVER,
AND THERE ARE A LOT OF BURNT PIECES
AND LOADS OF OLD MAIDS.
HI.
OW.
OKAY, FINE. FROM NOW ON, WE'LL CALL THEM LITTLE ORPHANS.
(suspenseful music playing)
HI.
HEY. WHAT THE...
THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT
WAS SOMETHING I LIKE TO CALL THE BED-WARMER POPPER.
THE REASON IT WAS AN ADVANCEMENT?
SOLID BOTTOM, WHICH MEANS THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY POP
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FAT.
THE PROBLEM IS, UH, THE BOTTOM WAS WAY TOO WIDE,
SO YOU STILL ENDED UP WITH A LOT OF BURNING
AND A LOT OF, UH, WELL, HOW SHALL I SAY,
BAD KERNELS.
(German accent) PERHAPS YOU COULD USE SOME TIME IN THE COOLER?
POPCORN?
NEIN.
OKAY.
"W," WHAT'S POPPIN'?
WHAT?
WHAT'S POPPING?
PUT THESE ON.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
REGULATIONS.
(thinking) NOW THESE THINGS ARE JUST RIDICULOUS.
HEY, WAIT A SECOND. I CAN'T HEAR A WORD SHE SAYS.
THIS COULD BE KIND OF FUN.
I'LL GO ALONG, KIND OF PRETEND.
...AND MANUAL WITH OIL...
OH, YEAH. IT'S MUCH BETTER WITH THEM ON.
HMM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE'S SAYING, SOMETHING ABOUT POPCORN POPPERS.
WHAT? OH, BETTER KEEP UP THE CHARADE.
UH-HUH. YES.
EAT SOME POPCORN. THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
YUCK. IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY SALT ON IT. IT'S WRETCHED.
OH, NOW THAT'S JUST SILLY.
EVEN IF ALL THE KERNELS POP,
STEAM CONDENSES ON THE DOME AND RUNS BACK ON THE CORN.
EVEN IF IT WORKED PERFECTLY,
WHO'D WANT SUCH A GIGANTIC UNI-TASKER
HANGING AROUND THE KITCHEN? WELL, NOT ME.
OOH, SWEET...
IT'S ONE OF THOSE MOVIE THEATER MODELS.
YEAH, THERE'S A LITTLE THING THAT ROTATES UP TOP,
AND ALL THE POPCORN POPS, AND THEN YOU DUMP IT OUT,
AND THE WARMING LIGHTS KEEP IT NICE AND TOASTY.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...
I WONDER HOW MUCH THIS THING COSTS?
SOMEWHERE FROM $1,000...
SO...
EW...
I LIKE POPCORN. I DON'T LIKE POPCORN THAT MUCH.
HMM, MAYBE THIS AIR-POP MODEL'S NOT SO BAD.
THE PROBLEM IS IS WITHOUT ANY FAT INSIDE,
THERE'S NO WAY FOR THE SALT TO STICK,
AND POPCORN WITHOUT SALT IS, WELL, PACKING MATERIAL.
THIS BOWL, HOWEVER...
THAT COULD BE USEFUL. I THINK I'LL JUST SLIP OUT.
IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT,
EACH AND EVERYONE OF US
IN POSSESSION OF A HEAVY-GAUGE,
WE'LL SAY 18/10,
STAINLESS STEEL BOWL IN THE 6-QUART RANGE,
ALREADY HAVE THE PERFECT CORN POPPER IN HAND.
BEHOLD! THE SHAPE...
THE OIL AND UNPOPPED KERNELS POOL AT THE BOTTOM
WHERE THE HEAT IS THE GREATEST,
WHILE POPPED KERNELS RISE UP THE SIDE AWAY FROM THE HEAT
SO THAT THEY DON'T BURN, AND OF COURSE,
ONCE THE POPPING HAS CONCLUDED
AND THE VESSEL IS ALLOWED TO BRIEFLY COOL,
IT CAN BE USED AS A SERVING PLATFORM.
NOW, IN ORDER FOR KERNELS TO POP TO THEIR FULLEST,
RELATIVELY HIGH HEAT MUST BE EVENLY APPLIED.
NOW SAND MAY HAVE WORKED FOR THE EARLY AMERICANS,
BUT I BELIEVE THAT OIL
IS THE BEST EVERYDAY COOKING MEDIUM FOR THIS JOB,
SAY 3 TABLESPOONS OF A NEUTRAL OIL, LIKE...
WOULD BE MY POP MEDIUM OF CHOICE.
NOW, AS FOR THE KERNELS THEMSELVES...
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT I'M IN THE MOOD FOR TODAY.
LET'S SEE. I THINK... AH, YELLOW TOPAZ.
1/2 A CUP SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
MMM.
NOW I AM ALL ABOUT LETTING THE FLAVOR
OF THE KERNEL COME THROUGH, BUT LET'S FACE IT,
THERE ARE FEW THINGS ON EARTH THAT YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR MOUTH
MORE DISAPPOINTING THAN SALTLESS POPCORN.
NOW I'LL ADMIT KOSHER SALT IS USUALLY MY ROCK OF CHOICE,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
I FIND THAT THE NEAR MICROSCOPIC GRANULES
OF POPCORN SALT, OR PICKLING SALT,
ARE BETTER AT ADHERING TO THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES
OF THE POPCORN DURING THE POP PROCESS.
SO DO WE NEED TO BUY SOME? NO.
WE NEVER BUY WHAT WE CAN MAKE.
1 CUP OF KOSHER SALT
GOES INTO OUR FOOD PROCESSOR,
AND I THINK ABOUT TEN 3-SECOND PULSES
SHOULD PERFECTLY SMASH THIS, OR PULVERIZE IT, RATHER,
INTO THE CORRECT CONSISTENCY.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T JUST LET THE MACHINE RUN
BECAUSE THE SALT WOULD ACT TOO MUCH LIKE A FLUID.
WE WANT TO REALLY PULVERIZE IT.
HOW MANY IS THAT? THAT'S GOTTA BE TEN. OKAY.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF POWDER,
SO BE CAREFUL,
AND JUST GET THAT OUT ONTO A FLEXIBLE MAT,
MAKE IT EASIER FOR DELIVERY LATER.
THERE WE GO.
NOW AS FAR AS VESSELS GO,
I AM A BIG FAN OF SNAP-ON, PERFORATED LIDS.
SNAPPING ON'S A LOT EASIER THAN SCREWING ON.
I LIKE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL
BECAUSE IT COMES WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOP OPTIONS,
BUT WE'LL STICK WITH THE SMALL ONE FOR THIS.
SO, WE LOAD THUSLY.
NOW A LOT OF FOLKS
LIKE TO PUT RICE
INSIDE FINELY GRANULATED SALT
IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM CLUMPING BECAUSE OF HUMIDITY.
THE TRUTH IS IS THE RICE
DOESN'T ACTUALLY ABSORB ANY OF THE HUMIDITY.
IF IT DID, YOU'D BE ABLE TO COOK A POT OF RICE
JUST BY SETTING IT OUT IN THE RAINFOREST FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS PROVIDE PHYSICAL AGITATION.
THE PROBLEM WITH RICE IS AS IT BREAKS AND CRACKS,
IT CAN ACTUALLY JAM UP THE LITTLE HOLES,
SO I SAY SKIP THE RICE ALTOGETHER
AND USE A LITTLE BIT OF POPCORN, WHICH I'VE GOT PLENTY OF HERE.
WE'LL TAKE ABOUT A TEASPOON,
ADD TO THE SALT, GIVE IT A SHAKE,
AND WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
SALT WILL PENETRATE MUCH BETTER
IF IT IS APPLIED TO THE KERNELS BEFORE THE POPPING.
PLACE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM FOIL ON TOP OF THE BOWL,
AND NOW PUNCH A FEW HOLES IN THAT
TO LET STEAM OUT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'LL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
MEDIUM FLAME GOES ON.
GRAB YOURSELF A PAIR OF TONGS AND GET TO SHAKING.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL DANCING THE POPCORN DANCE.
45 SECONDS TO A MINUTE WILL GO BY
AND NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE COOKING ON GAS OR ELECTRIC.
IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP THE VESSEL IN MOTION
SO THAT THE HEAT CAN EVENLY BUILD AROUND THE KERNELS.
DON'T WORRY, YOUR PATIENCE WILL BE REWARDED.
NOW WHEN IT SOUNDS LIKE THE POPPING
IS JUST BEGINNING TO SUBSIDE,
PICK UP THE PACE ON THE SHAKING.
THAT'LL KEEP THE POPPED PIECES FROM BURNING
AND HELP THE FEW REMAINING KERNELS TO GET THE HEAT
THAT THEY SO BADLY NEED.
NOW...
AAH. JUST SMELL THOSE PYRAZINES, PHENOLS,
PYRROLES, CARBONYLS AND FURANS.
OH...
YOU CAN'T SMELL THEM, CAN YOU?
I'M SORRY. BUT TRUST ME.
THE AROMA IS DISTINCT AND DIVINE.
IT IS ALSO FLEETING, WHICH IS WHY YOU CANNOT GET THIS
OUT OF A BAG OF PREPOPPED POPCORN, OKAY?
NOW, IF YOU ARE A BUTTER FAN--
WELL, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.
JUST MELT...
IN A MEASURING CUP OR A RAMEKIN OR SOMETHING,
AND DRIZZLE IT AROUND AND TOSS.
ME, I'M A PURIST.
SAVE YOUR BUTTER FOR THE--I DON'T KNOW--CORN ON THE COB.
WELL, IF YOU ASK ME, THERE'S NOT A SHOW ON EARTH
THAT ISN'T IMPROVED WITH A GOOD, BIG BOWL OF POPCORN,
INCLUDING THIS ONE.
SAY, YOU PREFER A FLAVORED POPCORN?
HECK, I DO, TOO, SOMETIMES.
TRY...
SPRINKLED THUSLY, AND WHAT THE HECK.
WE MIGHT EVEN GIVE IT A LITTLE SQUIRT
OF THAT BUTTER I WAS BAD- TALKIN' A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES--YOUR FAVORITE SPICE OR PEPPER RUB...
YOU COULD SQUIRT ON A LITTLE VINEGAR. SKY'S THE LIMIT.
OH, AND IF YOU LIKE THE CANDIED STUFF
THAT THEY TALK ABOUT IN THAT SONG,
"TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME"--
YOU KNOW, THE ONE WITH THE PRIZE IN THE BOX--NOT A PROBLEM.
ON THE COOKTOP SIDE, THE HARDWARE WILL INCLUDE
A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, A CANDY OR FRYING THERMOMETER
AND A HEATPROOF SPATULA OF SOME TYPE.
ON THE COUNTERTOP SIDE,
YOU WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES OF ONE HALF-SHEET PAN,
ONE PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER CUT TO FIT.
YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO NEED SOME NO-STICK SPRAY,
BOTH ON THE PAN
AND ONCE THE PAPER IS DOWN,
ON TOP OF THAT, TOO.
THIS IS STICKY STUFF, KIDS.
THERE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ONE VERY LARGE STAINLESS STEEL BOWL.
NOW, SOFTWARE ON THE COUNTER SIDE...
WHILE YOU'RE BUSY WITH THE SOFTWARE,
GO AHEAD AND SET YOUR OVEN
FOR 112.11 DEGREES CELSIUS.
FOR YOU FAHRENHEIT FANS, THAT'S...
AND NOW FOR THE APPLICATION...
YES, THAT'S RIGHT. 1 STICK OF BUTTER
GOES INTO THE SAUCEPAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
ONCE YOUR BUTTER IS MELTED, ADD...
THAT'S ABOUT 2 CUPS...
...AND BRING THE MIXTURE TO 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
SOFTWARE ON THE COUNTER SIDE INCLUDES...
ABOUT 3 QUARTS TOSSED WITH...
WHEN IT HITS THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE,
POUR THE SYRUP RIGHT ONTO THE POPCORN MIXTURE.
WORK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TO GET IT ALL OUT,
BECAUSE IT WILL SET UP VERY, VERY QUICKLY ON YOU.
THERE.
NOW USE YOUR SPATULA AND JUST FOLD THE SYRUP
ONTO THE CORN.
TURNING THE BOWL HELPS.
JUST GET IT DONE AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
AT THIS POINT, THE SYRUP SHOULD BE COOL ENOUGH
TO WHERE YOU CAN JUST KIND OF USE YOUR HANDS
AND SPREAD EVERYTHING OUT UNTIL IT IS GOOD AND EVEN.
THERE. NOW TO THE OVEN...
OH, OH, WAIT! (chuckles)
I GUESS I OUGHT TO CLEAN UP THAT NO-STICK SPRAY.
ANYWAY, SLIDE THIS INTO THE OVEN FOR ONE HOUR.
THIS LOW TEMPERATURE WILL DRIVE AWAY A GOOD BIT OF THE MOISTURE,
LEAVING US WITH A NICE CRISP CANDY.
WHOA! (thud)
THAT LONG, LOW COOKING HAS NOW GIVEN US
THAT EVER SO SLIGHTLY CARAMEL, BURNED FLAVOR THAT CRACKER--
WELL, THAT OTHER STUFF IS KNOWN FOR.
NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE A PRIZE, OF COURSE,
SO I'M THINKING THAT A FLOSS PICK WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
YOU KNOW, THAT PERICARP CAN BE A REAL KILLER.
ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS FOR POPCORN LEFTOVERS?
SURE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE WILLING TO WAIT TILL MORNING.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
POPCORN WAS THE FIRST AMERICAN BREAKFAST CEREAL.
IN FACT, IT WAS SERVED
AT KELLOGG'S FAMED BATTLE CREEK SANITARIUM
LONG BEFORE CORN FLAKES WERE INVENTED.
IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN SAID
THAT THE REASON THAT JOHN KELLOGG'S BROTHER, W.K.,
DEVELOPED CORN FLAKES IN THE FIRST PLACE
IS THAT HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
HOW TO MARKET BOXES OF PREPOPPED POPCORN.
NOW, IF I POP CORN AT NIGHT,
I ALWAYS SAVE SOME FOR BREAKFAST.
FIRST, THE CORN...
OBVIOUSLY, LIGHTLY SALTED,
BUT OTHERWISE UNFLAVORED WOULD BE BEST,
THEN EITHER WHOLE MILK,
OR IF YOU'RE FEELING EXTRAVAGANT, HALF-AND-HALF,
SPRINKLE WITH A BIT OF SUGAR
AND DIG RIGHT IN.
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
NOW THAT IS ALL-NATURAL CORNY GOODNESS--
MMM--FOR JUST A PENNY A BOWL.
AS FOR HEALTH CONCERNS, WELL...
(whispering) JUST ASK THESE DOCTORS WHAT THEY THINK.
OKAY, I'LL HELP.
POPCORN IS HIGH IN FIBER, WHICH WE ALL KNOW IS A GOOD THING.
DENTISTS DIG IT BECAUSE IT IS A SUGARLESS SNACK,
AND ALTHOUGH PEDIATRICIANS WARN AGAINST SERVING POPCORN
TO TODDLERS BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL CHOKING HAZARDS,
THEY DO LIKE HOME-POPPED CORN FOR OLDER KIDS
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T CONTAIN ADDITIVES, DYES,
PRESERVATIVES OR OTHER, YOU KNOW, STUFF.
MICROWAVED AND BUTTER- FLAVORED MOVIE POPCORN
COULD POSSIBLY BE ANOTHER STORY, SO POP YOUR OWN.
IT'S GOOD, IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
(louder voice) AND IT'S MORE FUN THAN A BARREL FULL OF MDs.
SHH.
SHH.
SHH.
(whispering) SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
AND CUT.
(woman) ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY, THAT'S HALF AN HOUR FOR LUNCH.
WHAT?
YEAH, THAT'S FUN-- HEY.
WH--
HEY, BRAD MAN, HELP. GIVE ME A--
(man snickering)
OH, COME ON.