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Ever wanted an unexpected surprise? A corn cob ends up on a hot stove by mistake, a few seconds later the corn starts exploding. Fear, astonishment, delight, and the discovery of one of the most popular snacks in the Western world. It's not only popular, popcorn can also be healthy and light. Trust us!
Already 4000 years ago, the Maya civilization used corn as a precious ingredient and also on garments and accessories, over Yam Kax statues, the god of corn. Thanks to Columbus' discovery, we came across corn and in the end popcorn, but popcorn actually became popular after Chicago's fair in 1893, when Charles Cretos showed for the first time to the public a portable machine that allowed to make great quantities as well as being able to attend with it events, fairs, movie shows, the circus, and so on. Today, you can still find a popcorn machine in all of those places, however, the ingredients and preparation has changed, altering its precious benefits.
Popcorn has a high quantity of polyphenols and is highly anti-oxidant, even more so than some fruits and veggies, thanks to the orange pelicule covering the grains. It's a 100% whole food that keeps all of its nutrients when transformed into a snack. Keep in mind that for this to be true you need the proper machine or a good pan with no added oil. In case you can't do with no oil at all, better to use a pan than microwave it. Whatever the option, it's easy and quick to make at home without needing to buy industrially flavored popcorn bags.
If you want to experiment, you can do so with popcorn, try chocolate popcorn or PopCorn pot de créme, a dessert created by the young chef Matt Danko for Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland and won him the “Young Guns Class of 2012” of Eater.com. Another rather unusual popcorn recipe tastes healthy and Italian: after making the popcorn powder it with a dry basil and toasted pine nut mixture combined with yeast (nutritional yeast flakes), add garlic powder, some salt, and you have yourself a delicious Pesto Popcorn. Following the same trend, mix dried tomatoes with oregano, yeast and salt, and you have Pizza Popcorn.
If you like kettle corn try making a sweeter version with panela and drops of agave. It will taste like caramel and liquorish.
