The news all week has been so depressing, what with all of the antics about shutting down the government and all, that I decided to write about a much lighter and pleasurable topic: my favorite snack, popcorn.
You might ask who decided that popcorn is "the best snack in the universe," as the headline above declares. Well, I did. There was no secret survey, no national poll. Just my own taste buds and vast experience as a popcorn aficionado. Then I learned that today is National Popcorn Day, so that sealed the deal.
Also today, I received a Facebook message from my nephew, Brandon Peters, suggesting that I should lighten up on Trump, otherwise I'd have a heart attack. He made the comment after I reposted something questioning Trump's claim that he is 6'3" tall, showing him standing aside former President Obama, who at 6'1" appears to be just a smidgen taller than Trump. Why did I post that? Because Trump made the claim so he wouldn't be considered obese based on his weight.
So that made me think. Lighten up. Let's talk about popcorn.
You can learn a lot about popcorn from The Popcorn Board, There you will find directions for popping the perfect popcorn, recipes for fun and exciting flavors, info on making holiday-themed snacks and desserts based on popcorn and much more. There are how-to videos, nutritional info, stuff for teachers and kids, and even info about popcorn poppers.
Popcorn poppers? All I've ever used is a good pot with a tight lid. I cover the bottom with olive oil, add a thin pat of butter and when the butter is melted, cover the bottom of the pot with popcorn kernels. Put the lid on, give the pan a few shakes back and forth and when the popcorn stops popping, dump that light, fluffy popcorn into a nice big bowl. From there, you're on your own, although my go-to recipe is to add some more melted butter and freshly ground Romano cheese, plus some salt.
That, my friends, is a great bowl of popcorn. I've used lots of other spices over the years, including Old Bay Seasoning, freshly ground black pepper, even red pepper flakes. It probably is NOT a health food, although I'm sure it's better for you than processed and fried potato and nacho chips.
Writing about it has made me hungry, but before I go make some, I need to give a shout out to my guest bloggers this week, Joan Sloane, Cecelia Blalock, Stacy Fitzgerald and Barbara Hake. They pitched in with some outstanding entries while I've been recuperating from Monday's shoulder surgery. Thanks guys, I really appreciate your help. Your blogs were great and they generated a lot of interest.
Now it's popcorn time!