National Popcorn Day

January 19th is national Popcorn Day!

Who doesn't Love Popcorn?

It's a national treat, associated with Ballgames, Movies, Circus', Fairs, and most of our favorite pastimes.

Popcorn is a naturally healthy snack.

On this page you will find a few "corny" jokes, a couple of recipes, even popcorn poems, and finally the answer to why does popcorn pop?

What did the salt say to the popcorn?

Season's Greetings!!! TeeHee

What did the young popcorn kernel brag to the other young kernels?

Betcha my Pop's bigger than yours!

Why did the farmer stop telling secrets in the corn field?

Because the corn was all ears.

Ballpark Popcorn Crunch

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 quarts unsalted popped popcorn

1 cup chopped walnuts

Cream together butter and brown sugar till light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, toss popcorn and walnuts. Add creamed mixture to popcorn and nuts. Combine until coated. Spread on a large baking sheet in a single layer. Bake at 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until crisp.

Yield 3 quarts

(based on a 1-cup serving)

Total Calories 189.5; Fat 15.2g; Carbohydrate 12.8g; Sugar 5.7g; Fiber 1.5g; Protein 2.2g; Sodium 75.5mg; Cholesterol 19mg.

2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

Pour butter over warm popcorn. Combne remaining seasonings and sprinkle over popcorn; toss to mix. Bake in a 300-degree oven for crispy popcorn.

Yield: 2 1/2 quarts

Varieties of popcorn that can grow wild--none. Due to the breeding of hybrids, all varieties of corn are in need of man's assistance.

Americans today consume 17 billion quarts of popcorn each year. The average American eats about 58 quarts.

The oldest ears of popcorn ever found were discovered in the Bat Cave of west central New Mexico in 1948 and 1950. Ranging from smaller than a penny to about 2 inches, the oldest ears are about 4,000 years old.

The percentage of popcorn bought and eaten at theaters, ballparks and other recreational areas is about 30%

Writing of Peruvian Indians in 1650, the Spaniard Cobo says, "They toast a certain kind of corn until it bursts. They call it pisancalla, and they use it as a confection."

It was experimenting with popcorn that led to the invention of the microwave oven.

Popcorn crowding all around,

Hot air blows them round and round,

Yellow corn kernels poppity pop,

One after another, when will they stop?

Whirling, swirling the popcorn pops,

In a bowl they quickly drop,

Fluffy popcorn, grab a bunch,

Light and tasty, eat them crunch.

I looked out the window, and what did I see?

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!

Spring has brought me such a nice surprise,

Blossoms popping right before my eyes.

I could take an armful and make a treat,

A popcorn ball that would smell so sweet.

It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be,

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree.

Ok, now what you've been waiting on...How does Popcorn POP!

The folklore of some Native American tribes told of spirits who lived inside each kernel of popcorn. The spirits were quiet and content to live on their own--but grew angry if their houses were heated. The hotter their homes became, the angrier they'd get--shaking the kernels until the heat was too much. Finally they would burst out of their homes and into the air as disgruntled puff of steam.

Each kernel of popcorn does contain a small drop of water stored inside a circle of soft starch. (That's why popcorn needs to contain 13.5% to 14% moisture.) The soft starch is surrounded by the kernel's hard outer surface.

As the kernel heats up, the water begins to expand, and pressure builds against the hard surface. Eventually, this hard surface gives way, causing the popcorn to explode.

As it explodes, the soft starch inside the popcorn becomes inflated and bursts, turning the kernel inside out. The steam inside the kernel is released, and the popcorn is popped!

Popcorn expands 40 - 42 times it's original size, some hybrids up to 45 times bigger.

Now you know maybe just a little more about popcorn...hope you enjoyed the fun!

A Special Happy Birthday to Diva Jo's son, whose birthday is on National Popcorn Day!

I got great animations from Dan!