Salt, which is often used to coat popcorn.
Popcorn is a simple and tasty snack that many people enjoy. In fact, popcorn treats have been around for centuries. With the prevalence of microwave popcorn bags, many people have forgotten that there are other ways to pop popcorn at home. Here are some examples of popcorn that you can buy to use at home.
Popcorn can be made on the stovetop, in the microwave, or with a compressed air popper.
One of the basic ways to pop popcorn is to use a deep pot with a lid and a strong handle. Often these popcorn pans are made of cast iron or stainless steel. Putting fresh popcorn and a little oil in the pan, you can cover it, place the pan on the bottom of the stove and lightly shake the contents using the handle. As the oil begins to heat up, the corn begins to pop. The constant stirring motion helps prevent the popcorn from burning and sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Air popcorn makers have made the use of oil as a means of heating the kernels unnecessary.
An early popcorn maker, created for use over an open fire, is still available today. Like the kitchen model, this type of popcorn also has a cast iron or stainless steel body. The handle is longer and is usually a combination of metal and wood. The long handle allows you to fill popcorn and hold it over a campfire or fireplace without getting too close to the flames.
Microwave ovens are so popular for cooking popcorn that many ovens have preset temperature controls for popcorn.
Hot oil popcorn makers were the most popular popcorn popping devices before the invention of microwave popcorn. Powered by electric current, the base of the popper is a simple shallow bowl treated with a non-stick surface. The oil and popcorn are placed in the container and a plastic dome is placed over the corn. As the oil heats up, the corn crackles and becomes contained in the dome. When the corn is popped, the dome doubles as a serving bowl. Popcorn makers of this type often have a vent at the base of the dome that allows the butter to melt into the corn when it pops.
A healthier method of popping popcorn is the hot air popcorn maker. Air popcorn makers have made it unnecessary to use oil as a means of heating the kernels and causing the corn to pop. Instead, a constant stream of hot air raises the temperature of the kernels and gently pops the corn. Most popcorn types use a design that allows the popcorn to roll out of the popcorn and into a bowl.
While microwave popcorn is often the popcorn of choice today, you can still buy it from more traditional popcorn makers. While many retail stores no longer carry this vintage popcorn, it is possible to purchase popcorn makers of all kinds by shopping online. Loose popcorn bags, as well as greased popcorn jars, can still be purchased in many supermarkets.