Popcorn Facts and Tidbits

It’s no surprise that a snack food we all enjoy so much would have a rich list of facts and tidbits:

Ears of popping corn have been discovered in caves that date back over 4000 years Corn was cooked in lard during the 1800’s. The popped product was skimmed as it rose to the top.

In 1996 a 12 foot popcorn ball was constructed. It used over 2000 pounds of popcorn.

Popcorn can be strung as a popular Christmas tree garland.

Cretors and Co. Invented the first mobile popcorn machines in 1885. They are still in business today.

Some American Indian tribes believed that there was a single spirit residing inside each unpopped kernel of popcorn. As the kernels were heated and heated they would shake with anger. When they got angry enough, the spirits would come screaming out in a burst of hot air.

16th century explorer Hernando Cortez was met by Aztecs wearing popcorn as decoration on their headdresses.

When the early colonists had the first Thanksgiving on October 15, 1621, an Indian named Quadequina brought an offering for the feast. A giant deerskin bag of popped corn.

Popcorn was served like cereal by colonial housewives. It was eaten for breakfast with cream and sugar.

The Albert Dickinson Co. Introduced Little Buster and Big Buster Popcorn. They are some of the first name brands of popcorn.

American Pop Corn Company and founder Cloid H. Smith produced the first nationwide name brand popcorn, Jolly Time. The brand’s name grew rapidly based on its Guaranteed to Pop statement.

As a result of sugar rationing during WWII many sweets were unavailable. Americans consumed as much as 3 times as much popcorn during this period.

Each American eats an average of 54 quarts of popcorn each year. Read the story »

Hulless Popcorn-Gourmet Companies and Popped

The term ” hulless popcorn” is somewhat misleading.  All popcorn kernels have a hull.  When kernels are heated, a drop of water within the hull turns to steam.  As the steam rises in temperature it builds pressure until it bursts through the hull.  No hull, no popped popcorn.

The hulless varieties have a very small kernel and therefore produce little or no hull when they are popped.  The larger hull of standard varieties breaks into pieces lodging itself in the center of the fluff.  The hull of the hulless varieties expands out become part of the fluff of the popcorn.  Hulless varieties produce more delicate pieces of gourmet popcorn.

Hulless popcorn comes in three main varieties.  Lady Finger, the smallest and rarest of the three varieties.  Baby White pops up a little larger than Lady Finger popcorn and is as nearly as tender.  Finally, Premium White is the largest of the hulless popcorn varieties.  There are companies that sell various other hulless varieties but these are the most popular.

Hulless kernels are a favorite for the light and delicate popcorn they produce.  They are also a favorite in the medical community.  It’s recommended by dentists and orthodontists.  Their patients with dental restrictions, such as dentures, braces, orthodontics or other fragile dental work can still enjoy popcorn

It’s also recommended to patients who suffer from diverticulitis.  Diverticulitis is a gastrointestinal disorder that would prevent anyone who suffered from it from eating a product like regular gourmet popcorn with it’s small seeds and bits of hard shell.  Thanks to hulless popcorn, many doctors are letting patients enjoy popped popcorn again.

With this long string of positives there is one drawback.  Hulless popcorn does pop up a lot smaller, due to its smaller hull.  For all it’s advantages though, it’s worth popping up a little more of your favorite variety to make up the difference.