Sunday, January 19, 2014

Today is National Popcorn Day

I do like popcorn. Nice salty, buttery popcorn...or cheddar cheese popcorn, or popcorn sprinkled with oregano.

My housemate likes popcorn and it is in the round of treats we eat during DVDs which can be as simple as veggies and hummous or as full blown as prawns and champagne. We even have the movie theatre type red and white box containers.



However, Rick's blood type, I suspect is PC--it doesn't stand for politically correct--but you guessed it

POP CORN

When our landlady popped (no pun intended) in one night and smelled popcorn she commented on the fact it was probably his dinner, his favourite meal. He considers it more important than other food groups such as fruits and veggies.

Popcorn originated in Peru without a date but popcorn evidence has been traced to 3,600 BC in New Mexico.

Popcorn at 5-10 cents a bag was affordable even in the Great Depression so its popularity grew and grew.

Why does popcorn pop?

Every kernel contains moisture and oil When they are heated they create steam and that builds up pressure and voilà POP.

When I lived in Boston and my daughter and I had a Sunday night tradition Murder she Wrote and Jiffy Pop some of which was deliberately burned. I used to say I would like to be like Jessica, a mystery writer who traveled the world.

Llara responded that the writer part was fine, but the first murder I came across she'd put me directly into the nursing home.

"Why?" I asked.

"Because Jessica's relatives are always blamed, and I'm your closest relative."

So far I've only published mysteries thus I'm not locked up in a nursing home.

What about the health factor of popcorn.

Air-popped is high in fiber and antioxidants, low in calories that is until all the good stuff like salt, butter, cheese are added.

As for microwaveable popcorn because of what might be added, such as diacetyl, it could cause respiratory illness.  Reading labels is a good idea. No matter what it has, life without popcorn, at least sometimes, is not interesting.

As far as other Geneva Writers Group popcorn fans, I won't mention any names. You know who you are.




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