Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 10, Episode 10 - Squid Pro Quo II - full transcript
JOHN WAYNE ATE POPCORN.
OH, YEAH.
IF THERE'S A SNACK FOOD
THAT'S MORE AMERICAN,
I CAN'T THINK OF IT.
I MEAN, AFTER ALL,
CORN, OR MAIZE,
AS THE REST OF
THE WORLD CALLS IT,
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
NEW WORLD FOOD OF ALL,
AND POPCORN IS CERTAINLY
THE MOST AMERICAN FORM
OF SAID CEREAL.
(man)
SHH.
THINK ABOUT IT.
POPCORN TASTES GREAT,
IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
AND IT GOES OFF
LIKE FIREWORKS
WHEN YOU COOK IT.
WHAT COULD BE
MORE AMERICAN?
HEY, SHUT UP,
YOU IDIOT.
SORRY.
BUT LIKE SO MANY CRUCIAL
ELEMENTS OF AMERICANA,
WE'VE ALLOWED POPCORN
TO FALL FROM GRACE.
WHAT WERE ONCE
FLAVORFUL SNOWFLAKES,
PERFECT AND UNIQUE,
HAVE BEEN SUPPLANTED
WITH FLAVORLESS
PACKING MATERIALS,
GROWN FOR YIELD
RATHER THAN FLAVOR
OR TEXTURE.
QUITE DOWN FRONT.
OH...
TO MAKE UP FOR THIS,
TODAY'S AVERAGE BOWL
OF POPCORN
HAS BEEN BATHED
IN NOXIOUS FLAVOR AND--
THAT'S SO RUDE.
AND DOSED UP
WITH SO MUCH SALT,
YOU COULD MAKE
A MINI LOT'S WIFE.
EXCUSE ME, SIR.
JUST A SECOND.
AS FOR THE POPPING
ITSELF...
SIR?
WHAT USED TO BE
A COMMUNAL ACT,
BONDING FAMILIES,
FRIENDS, LOVERS--
SIR.
HAS BEEN LEFT TO BIG
INDUSTRY, OR WORSE--
SIR?
CONSIGNED TO
THAT SOULLESS BOX,
THE MICROWAVE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S
IT, SIR. COME ON.
JUST, HEY, LOOK...
WELL, I SAY IT'S TIME
FOR POPCORN LOVERS
TO TAKE--
(man)
SIT DOWN,
YOU FREAK.
BACK THE SNACK.
TAKE BACK THE SNACK!
COME ON.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY
IS POPCORN GOOD
AND GOOD FOR YOU,
IT'S GOOD CLEAN FUN,
WHATEVER...
NOT TO MENTION...
¶
Captioning provided by
Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
ALTHOUGH POPCORN HAS
ALWAYS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE
IN THE PANTHEON
OF AMERICAN POP CULTURE--
(chuckles)
(man)
POPCORN.
GET YOUR POPCORN.
TRUTH IS, A LOT
OF THAT CULTURE
IS COMPLETE
FABRICATION.
HOT, FRESH POPCORN.
FOR INSTANCE, MOVIE
THEATERS HAVE NOT
ALWAYS SOLD THE STUFF.
UH, YEAH.
IN THE OLD DAYS,
THEATER OWNERS
USED TO RENT SPACE
OUTSIDE THEIR
PLACES TO LOCAL
POPCORN VENDORS
WHO USED TO MOVE
THEIR CARTS
AROUND THE CITY.
YEAH, IT WASN'T
UNTIL THE DEPRESSION
WHEN A 5-CENT BAG
OF POPCORN SEEMED LIKE
AN AFFORDABLE LUXURY,
THE MOVIE THEATERS
GOT WISE AND STARTED
POPPING THEIR OWN.
TODAY, A VAST MAJORITY
OF A THEATER'S PROFITS
COMES FROM POPCORN.
NOW HERE'S ANOTHER MYTH.
YOU KNOW THAT
FIRST THANKSGIVING?
THERE WAS NO POPCORN.
UNH-UNH.
OUR ONLY RELIABLE
ACCOUNT OF THAT EVENT,
A 1622 BOOK CALLED,
"MORT'S RELATION,"
OLD MAN MORT,
HE NEVER EVEN
MENTIONED THE STUFF.
IN FACT, POPCORN
DIDN'T BECOME POPULAR IN
THE EASTERN UNITED STATES
UNTIL 19th-CENTURY
WHALERS...
19th-CENTURY
WHALERS
BROUGHT IT
UP FROM CHILE.
BROUGHT IT BACK
FROM CHILE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW IN THE AMERICAN
SOUTHWEST...
AH, THAT'S
ANOTHER STORY.
YOU LOOK REALLY
FAMILIAR TO ME.
OH, YEAH?
WAIT TILL YOU SEE
THE NEXT SCENE. WHA!
(grunting)
WELCOME TO BAT CAVE,
CATRON COUNTY, NEW MEXICO.
THESE CAVERNS ONCE HOUSED
AN ANCIENT AGRARIAN SOCIETY
WHO WERE HEAVILY
DEPENDENT UPON MAIZE
FOR THEIR NUTRITION.
BECAUSE OF THE COOL,
DRY MICROCLIMATE HERE,
THESE CAVERNS
ARE A FANTASTIC PLACE
TO FIND REMAINS OF--UM--
ANCIENT STRAINS OF MAIZE.
WHEW.
YOU KNOW, ALTON,
SCIENTISTS HAVE
BEEN WORKING HERE
FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS,
AND THEY FOUND CORN
TASSELS AND CORN HUSKS
AND EVEN
LITTLE TINY EARS
OF ANCIENT POPCORN
STILL ON THE COB.
REALLY?
YEAH.
DID YOU THINK
ABOUT THINK ABOUT
(breathing heavily)
A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST?
BECAUSE I KNOW I
WASN'T THINKING ABOUT
A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST.
WELL, TODAY, I'M
NOT A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST.
TODAY, I AM AN
ARCHEO-ETHNOBOTANIST.
YEAH?
YEAH.
WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING HERE?
I'M WORKING.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING
HERE BESIDES TRAMPLING
ALL OVER MY DIG?
WELL, SORRY...
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME
1,000-YEAR-OLD POPCORN.
OH, WELL, JUST LOOK
AROUND 'CAUSE THIS
PLACE IS FULL OF IT,
AND IT STILL
POPS, TOO.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
SOAK IT IN A LITTLE
WATER AND LET IT GO.
WOW.
BUT IT'S AN ANCIENT
FORM OF ZEA MAYS,
BUT THE KERNELS
ARE SO HARD,
THE ONLY WAY
FOR PEOPLE TO GET
AT THE NUTRITION
WAS TO POP IT OPEN.
WOW. WELL,
TELL ME SOMETHING.
HOW DID THE NATIVE AMERICANS
POP IT
WHEN THEY WEREN'T
KNOWN FOR USING
A FAT AS
A COOKING MEDIUM?
SAND.
SAND?
SAND.
YOU PUT THE KERNELS
IN A 3-LEGGED POT
FULL OF SAND.
IT WAS PLACED
ON THE FIRE,
AND THEN WHEN THE SAND
GOT HOT ENOUGH,
THE KERNELS WOULD POP
UP TO THE SURFACE.
COOL. I WONDER WHO
THOUGHT OF THAT?
WELL, IT WAS PROBABLY
AN ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY,
BUT I CAN IMAGINE THAT
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS,
SITTING AROUND
THE CAMPFIRE AT NIGHT,
THAT POPPING POPCORN
COULD HAVE BEEN A FORM
OF ENTERTAINMENT.
TOO BAD THEY DIDN'T
HAVE ANY BUTTER.
WELL, THEY PROBABLY
POUNDED IT WITH WATER
INTO SOME SORT
OF A GRUEL OR MUSH.
WOW, THAT SOUNDS...
NUTRITIOUS.
VERY NOURISHING.
TELL ME SOMETHING, DEB,
I DON'T SEE ANY BATS.
I DON'T SMELL ANY BATS.
WHY DO THEY
CALL THIS BAT CAVE?
AH, DEBORAH,
THERE YOU ARE...
AND WITH THE POPCORN.
EXCELLENT.
WE NEED YOU BACK
IN THE BAT KITCHEN.
CITIZEN...
SORRY, ALTON,
GOTTA GO.
THE BOYS NEED ME.
YEAH, I BET THEY DO.
WHO WRITES THIS STUFF?
(grunting)
THE NEXT TIME YOU SET OUT
TO PURCHASE POPCORN,
CONSIDER THE CRITERIA
OF THE BIG POPCORN GROWERS--
WHAT ABOUT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE?
WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THEY DON'T REALLY
ENTER THE EQUATION,
WHICH, IF YOU ASK ME,
IS A DARN GOOD REASON
TO SEEK OUT THE OLD VARIETIES,
WHICH COME IN TWO BASIC SHAPES.
THERE ARE THE PEARLS,
WHICH ARE SMOOTH AND ROUND,
AND RICE, WHICH
ARE KIND OF POINTY.
NOW HERE WE HAVE
THE PINK DIAMOND,
PURPLE AMETHYST,
BABY BLACK PEARL,
SOUTHWEST GOLD,
BABY BLUE SAPPHIRE,
BABY PEARL, RED RUBY,
BABY YELLOW TOPAZ,
BLUE SAPPHIRE,
AND PETITE PRINCESS AMBER.
NOW EACH ONE OF THESE HAS
A DISTINCT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE
AND A DISTINCT POP SIZE,
BUT DON'T BE DECEIVED
BY THE COLOR.
EXCEPT FOR THE WHITE VARIETIES,
WHICH WILL ALWAYS POP UP WHITE,
THEY'RE ALL YELLOW
DEEP DOWN WHERE IT COUNTS.
WHY IS POPCORN
OUR ONLY EXPLODING FOOD?
WELL, LET'S PONDER
SOME OF THE PARTS INVOLVED.
FIRST THERE IS THE PERICARP.
OKAY, NOW ALL GRAINS
HAVE THIS HARD OUTER SHELL,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
THE PERICARP IS UNUSUALLY HARD,
AND IT'S UNIQUE IN THE FACT
THAT IT CAN ABSORB AND RADIATE
HIGH AMOUNTS OF HEAT
TO THE INTERIOR OF THE KERNEL
WITHOUT ACTUALLY BURNING.
ALL GRAINS ALSO HAVE AN INTERIOR
FUEL TANK, OR ENDOSPERM,
COMPOSED OF TWO DIFFERENT
TYPES OF STARCH,
BOTH HARD AND SOFT.
POPCORN, HOWEVER, POSSESSES
AN UNUSUALLY HIGH PERCENT
OF THE HARD TYPE
OF STARCH, OKAY?
NOW, PROPER DETONATION
REQUIRES BETWEEN
13% AND 15% WATER,
WHICH IN THIS CASE IS
THE ACTUAL EXPLOSIVE AGENT.
NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO
IS SEAL THIS THING UP TIGHT.
THERE, THAT OUGHT TO STAY PUT.
(German accent)
AND NOW WE APPLY ZEE HEAT.
(normal voice)
AH, THERE.
NOW AS THE WATER INSIDE BOILS,
IT TURNS INTO STEAM, RIGHT?
AND THAT MEANS IT INCREASES
IN VOLUME BY A FACTOR OF--
I DON'T KNOW--40 OR 50,
AND THAT APPLIES A HUGE
AMOUNT OF PRESSURE
ON THE INSIDE OF THE KERNEL.
NOW MOST VARIETIES OF MAIZE
ARE LOADED WITH SOFT STARCH
WHICH CAN'T POSSIBLY
HOLD THAT MUCH PRESSURE.
POPCORN, BEING LOADED
WITH HARD STARCH, CAN,
SO RIGHT NOW, THE PRESSURE
IS BUILDING AND BUILDING.
EVENTUALLY, THE STEAM
WILL COMBINE WITH THE STARCH
TO CREATE SOMETHING
KIND OF LIKE LAVA.
WHEN THE PRESSURE
REACHES A CRITICAL POINT--
(chuckles)
WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE FUN.
(pot making popping noise)
THE PERICARP RUPTURES,
SPEWING HOT LIQUID STARCH
IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
AS THE PRESSURE IS RELEASED,
THE CORN--LAVA--
BEGINS TO COOL AND SET
INTO THIS RATHER CURIOUS SHAPE.
NOW IF ANYONE OUT
THERE HAS A PHONE,
I'D APPRECIATE IT
IF YOU WOULD DIAL 911,
AND I'LL JUST WAIT HERE.
UGH.
HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES
POPCORN SPECIFICALLY AMERICAN.
IT WAS GREATLY POPULARIZED
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING
OF POPCORN POPPERS.
IF THAT'S NOT
AN AMERICAN CONCEPT,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
NOW BACK THEN, POPPERS WERE
HEARTH-BASED APPLIANCES.
THAT IS, THEY WERE MEANT
TO BE USED OVER A FIRE.
NOW THE EARLIEST MODELS
WERE ESSENTIALLY JUST WIRE MESH
BOXES WITH WOODEN HANDLES.
THERE'S NO MEDIUM TO EVENLY
MOVE HEAT INTO THE KERNELS,
SO THIS METHOD, UH,
TAKES FOREVER,
AND THERE ARE
A LOT OF BURNT PIECES
AND LOADS OF OLD MAIDS.
HI.
OW.
OKAY, FINE. FROM NOW ON, WE'LL
CALL THEM LITTLE ORPHANS.
(suspenseful music playing)
HI.
HEY. WHAT THE...
THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT
WAS SOMETHING I LIKE TO CALL
THE BED-WARMER POPPER.
THE REASON IT
WAS AN ADVANCEMENT?
SOLID BOTTOM, WHICH MEANS
THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY POP
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FAT.
THE PROBLEM IS, UH,
THE BOTTOM WAS WAY TOO WIDE,
SO YOU STILL ENDED UP
WITH A LOT OF BURNING
AND A LOT OF, UH,
WELL, HOW SHALL I SAY,
BAD KERNELS.
(German accent)
PERHAPS YOU COULD USE
SOME TIME IN THE COOLER?
POPCORN?
NEIN.
OKAY.
"W," WHAT'S POPPIN'?
WHAT?
WHAT'S POPPING?
PUT THESE ON.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
REGULATIONS.
(thinking)
NOW THESE THINGS
ARE JUST RIDICULOUS.
HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
I CAN'T HEAR
A WORD SHE SAYS.
THIS COULD
BE KIND OF FUN.
I'LL GO ALONG,
KIND OF PRETEND.
...AND MANUAL
WITH OIL...
OH, YEAH. IT'S MUCH
BETTER WITH THEM ON.
HMM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
SHE'S SAYING, SOMETHING
ABOUT POPCORN POPPERS.
WHAT? OH, BETTER
KEEP UP THE CHARADE.
UH-HUH. YES.
EAT SOME POPCORN.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
YUCK. IT DOESN'T
HAVE ANY SALT ON IT.
IT'S WRETCHED.
OH, NOW THAT'S
JUST SILLY.
EVEN IF ALL
THE KERNELS POP,
STEAM CONDENSES
ON THE DOME AND RUNS
BACK ON THE CORN.
EVEN IF IT WORKED
PERFECTLY,
WHO'D WANT SUCH
A GIGANTIC UNI-TASKER
HANGING AROUND
THE KITCHEN?
WELL, NOT ME.
OOH, SWEET...
IT'S ONE OF THOSE
MOVIE THEATER MODELS.
YEAH, THERE'S
A LITTLE THING
THAT ROTATES UP TOP,
AND ALL THE POPCORN POPS,
AND THEN YOU DUMP IT OUT,
AND THE WARMING
LIGHTS KEEP IT
NICE AND TOASTY.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...
I WONDER HOW MUCH
THIS THING COSTS?
SOMEWHERE FROM $1,000...
SO...
EW...
I LIKE POPCORN.
I DON'T LIKE
POPCORN THAT MUCH.
HMM, MAYBE THIS AIR-POP
MODEL'S NOT SO BAD.
THE PROBLEM IS
IS WITHOUT ANY FAT INSIDE,
THERE'S NO WAY
FOR THE SALT TO STICK,
AND POPCORN WITHOUT SALT IS,
WELL, PACKING MATERIAL.
THIS BOWL, HOWEVER...
THAT COULD BE USEFUL.
I THINK I'LL JUST SLIP OUT.
IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT,
EACH AND EVERYONE OF US
IN POSSESSION OF A HEAVY-GAUGE,
WE'LL SAY 18/10,
STAINLESS STEEL BOWL
IN THE 6-QUART RANGE,
ALREADY HAVE THE PERFECT
CORN POPPER IN HAND.
BEHOLD! THE SHAPE...
THE OIL AND UNPOPPED KERNELS
POOL AT THE BOTTOM
WHERE THE HEAT IS THE GREATEST,
WHILE POPPED KERNELS RISE UP
THE SIDE AWAY FROM THE HEAT
SO THAT THEY DON'T BURN,
AND OF COURSE,
ONCE THE POPPING HAS CONCLUDED
AND THE VESSEL IS ALLOWED
TO BRIEFLY COOL,
IT CAN BE USED
AS A SERVING PLATFORM.
NOW, IN ORDER FOR KERNELS
TO POP TO THEIR FULLEST,
RELATIVELY HIGH HEAT
MUST BE EVENLY APPLIED.
NOW SAND MAY HAVE WORKED
FOR THE EARLY AMERICANS,
BUT I BELIEVE THAT OIL
IS THE BEST EVERYDAY COOKING
MEDIUM FOR THIS JOB,
SAY 3 TABLESPOONS
OF A NEUTRAL OIL, LIKE...
WOULD BE MY POP MEDIUM
OF CHOICE.
NOW, AS FOR THE KERNELS
THEMSELVES...
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT
I'M IN THE MOOD FOR TODAY.
LET'S SEE. I THINK...
AH, YELLOW TOPAZ.
1/2 A CUP SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
MMM.
NOW I AM ALL ABOUT
LETTING THE FLAVOR
OF THE KERNEL COME THROUGH,
BUT LET'S FACE IT,
THERE ARE FEW THINGS ON EARTH
THAT YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR MOUTH
MORE DISAPPOINTING
THAN SALTLESS POPCORN.
NOW I'LL ADMIT KOSHER SALT
IS USUALLY MY ROCK OF CHOICE,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
I FIND THAT THE NEAR
MICROSCOPIC GRANULES
OF POPCORN SALT,
OR PICKLING SALT,
ARE BETTER AT ADHERING
TO THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES
OF THE POPCORN
DURING THE POP PROCESS.
SO DO WE NEED TO BUY SOME? NO.
WE NEVER BUY WHAT WE CAN MAKE.
1 CUP OF KOSHER SALT
GOES INTO OUR FOOD PROCESSOR,
AND I THINK ABOUT TEN
3-SECOND PULSES
SHOULD PERFECTLY SMASH THIS,
OR PULVERIZE IT, RATHER,
INTO THE CORRECT CONSISTENCY.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T
JUST LET THE MACHINE RUN
BECAUSE THE SALT WOULD
ACT TOO MUCH LIKE A FLUID.
WE WANT TO REALLY PULVERIZE IT.
HOW MANY IS THAT?
THAT'S GOTTA BE TEN. OKAY.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF POWDER,
SO BE CAREFUL,
AND JUST GET THAT
OUT ONTO A FLEXIBLE MAT,
MAKE IT EASIER
FOR DELIVERY LATER.
THERE WE GO.
NOW AS FAR AS VESSELS GO,
I AM A BIG FAN OF SNAP-ON,
PERFORATED LIDS.
SNAPPING ON'S A LOT
EASIER THAN SCREWING ON.
I LIKE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL
BECAUSE IT COMES WITH SEVERAL
DIFFERENT TOP OPTIONS,
BUT WE'LL STICK WITH
THE SMALL ONE FOR THIS.
SO, WE LOAD THUSLY.
NOW A LOT OF FOLKS
LIKE TO PUT RICE
INSIDE FINELY GRANULATED SALT
IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM
CLUMPING BECAUSE OF HUMIDITY.
THE TRUTH IS IS THE RICE
DOESN'T ACTUALLY ABSORB
ANY OF THE HUMIDITY.
IF IT DID, YOU'D BE ABLE
TO COOK A POT OF RICE
JUST BY SETTING IT OUT IN THE
RAINFOREST FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS
PROVIDE PHYSICAL AGITATION.
THE PROBLEM WITH RICE
IS AS IT BREAKS AND CRACKS,
IT CAN ACTUALLY JAM UP
THE LITTLE HOLES,
SO I SAY SKIP
THE RICE ALTOGETHER
AND USE A LITTLE BIT OF POPCORN,
WHICH I'VE GOT PLENTY OF HERE.
WE'LL TAKE ABOUT A TEASPOON,
ADD TO THE SALT,
GIVE IT A SHAKE,
AND WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
SALT WILL PENETRATE MUCH BETTER
IF IT IS APPLIED TO THE KERNELS
BEFORE THE POPPING.
PLACE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM
FOIL ON TOP OF THE BOWL,
AND NOW PUNCH
A FEW HOLES IN THAT
TO LET STEAM OUT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'LL
MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
MEDIUM FLAME GOES ON.
GRAB YOURSELF A PAIR
OF TONGS AND GET TO SHAKING.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL
DANCING THE POPCORN DANCE.
45 SECONDS TO A MINUTE
WILL GO BY
AND NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE
COOKING ON GAS OR ELECTRIC.
IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU
KEEP THE VESSEL IN MOTION
SO THAT THE HEAT CAN EVENLY
BUILD AROUND THE KERNELS.
DON'T WORRY, YOUR PATIENCE
WILL BE REWARDED.
NOW WHEN IT SOUNDS
LIKE THE POPPING
IS JUST BEGINNING TO SUBSIDE,
PICK UP THE PACE ON THE SHAKING.
THAT'LL KEEP THE POPPED
PIECES FROM BURNING
AND HELP THE FEW REMAINING
KERNELS TO GET THE HEAT
THAT THEY SO BADLY NEED.
NOW...
AAH. JUST SMELL THOSE
PYRAZINES, PHENOLS,
PYRROLES, CARBONYLS AND FURANS.
OH...
YOU CAN'T SMELL THEM, CAN YOU?
I'M SORRY. BUT TRUST ME.
THE AROMA IS DISTINCT
AND DIVINE.
IT IS ALSO FLEETING, WHICH
IS WHY YOU CANNOT GET THIS
OUT OF A BAG OF PREPOPPED
POPCORN, OKAY?
NOW, IF YOU ARE A BUTTER FAN--
WELL, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.
JUST MELT...
IN A MEASURING CUP
OR A RAMEKIN OR SOMETHING,
AND DRIZZLE IT AROUND AND TOSS.
ME, I'M A PURIST.
SAVE YOUR BUTTER FOR THE--I
DON'T KNOW--CORN ON THE COB.
WELL, IF YOU ASK ME,
THERE'S NOT A SHOW ON EARTH
THAT ISN'T IMPROVED WITH
A GOOD, BIG BOWL OF POPCORN,
INCLUDING THIS ONE.
SAY, YOU PREFER
A FLAVORED POPCORN?
HECK, I DO, TOO, SOMETIMES.
TRY...
SPRINKLED THUSLY,
AND WHAT THE HECK.
WE MIGHT EVEN GIVE IT
A LITTLE SQUIRT
OF THAT BUTTER I WAS BAD-
TALKIN' A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES--YOUR
FAVORITE SPICE OR PEPPER RUB...
YOU COULD SQUIRT ON A LITTLE
VINEGAR. SKY'S THE LIMIT.
OH, AND IF YOU
LIKE THE CANDIED STUFF
THAT THEY TALK
ABOUT IN THAT SONG,
"TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME"--
YOU KNOW, THE ONE WITH THE
PRIZE IN THE BOX--NOT A PROBLEM.
ON THE COOKTOP SIDE,
THE HARDWARE WILL INCLUDE
A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, A CANDY
OR FRYING THERMOMETER
AND A HEATPROOF
SPATULA OF SOME TYPE.
ON THE COUNTERTOP SIDE,
YOU WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF ONE HALF-SHEET PAN,
ONE PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER
CUT TO FIT.
YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO
NEED SOME NO-STICK SPRAY,
BOTH ON THE PAN
AND ONCE THE PAPER IS DOWN,
ON TOP OF THAT, TOO.
THIS IS STICKY STUFF, KIDS.
THERE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ONE VERY LARGE
STAINLESS STEEL BOWL.
NOW, SOFTWARE
ON THE COUNTER SIDE...
WHILE YOU'RE BUSY
WITH THE SOFTWARE,
GO AHEAD AND SET YOUR OVEN
FOR 112.11 DEGREES CELSIUS.
FOR YOU FAHRENHEIT FANS,
THAT'S...
AND NOW FOR THE APPLICATION...
YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
1 STICK OF BUTTER
GOES INTO THE SAUCEPAN
OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
ONCE YOUR BUTTER IS MELTED,
ADD...
THAT'S ABOUT 2 CUPS...
...AND BRING THE MIXTURE
TO 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
SOFTWARE ON THE COUNTER SIDE
INCLUDES...
ABOUT 3 QUARTS TOSSED WITH...
WHEN IT HITS
THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE,
POUR THE SYRUP RIGHT
ONTO THE POPCORN MIXTURE.
WORK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN
TO GET IT ALL OUT,
BECAUSE IT WILL SET UP
VERY, VERY QUICKLY ON YOU.
THERE.
NOW USE YOUR SPATULA
AND JUST FOLD THE SYRUP
ONTO THE CORN.
TURNING THE BOWL HELPS.
JUST GET IT DONE
AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
AT THIS POINT, THE SYRUP
SHOULD BE COOL ENOUGH
TO WHERE YOU CAN JUST
KIND OF USE YOUR HANDS
AND SPREAD EVERYTHING OUT
UNTIL IT IS GOOD AND EVEN.
THERE. NOW TO THE OVEN...
OH, OH, WAIT! (chuckles)
I GUESS I OUGHT TO CLEAN UP
THAT NO-STICK SPRAY.
ANYWAY, SLIDE THIS INTO
THE OVEN FOR ONE HOUR.
THIS LOW TEMPERATURE WILL DRIVE
AWAY A GOOD BIT OF THE MOISTURE,
LEAVING US WITH
A NICE CRISP CANDY.
WHOA! (thud)
THAT LONG, LOW COOKING
HAS NOW GIVEN US
THAT EVER SO SLIGHTLY CARAMEL,
BURNED FLAVOR THAT CRACKER--
WELL, THAT OTHER STUFF
IS KNOWN FOR.
NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE
A PRIZE, OF COURSE,
SO I'M THINKING THAT A FLOSS
PICK WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
YOU KNOW, THAT PERICARP
CAN BE A REAL KILLER.
ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS
FOR POPCORN LEFTOVERS?
SURE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE
WILLING TO WAIT TILL MORNING.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
POPCORN WAS THE FIRST
AMERICAN BREAKFAST CEREAL.
IN FACT, IT WAS SERVED
AT KELLOGG'S FAMED
BATTLE CREEK SANITARIUM
LONG BEFORE CORN
FLAKES WERE INVENTED.
IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN SAID
THAT THE REASON THAT
JOHN KELLOGG'S BROTHER, W.K.,
DEVELOPED CORN FLAKES
IN THE FIRST PLACE
IS THAT HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
HOW TO MARKET BOXES
OF PREPOPPED POPCORN.
NOW, IF I POP CORN AT NIGHT,
I ALWAYS SAVE
SOME FOR BREAKFAST.
FIRST, THE CORN...
OBVIOUSLY, LIGHTLY SALTED,
BUT OTHERWISE
UNFLAVORED WOULD BE BEST,
THEN EITHER WHOLE MILK,
OR IF YOU'RE FEELING
EXTRAVAGANT, HALF-AND-HALF,
SPRINKLE WITH A BIT OF SUGAR
AND DIG RIGHT IN.
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
NOW THAT IS ALL-NATURAL
CORNY GOODNESS--
MMM--FOR JUST A PENNY A BOWL.
AS FOR HEALTH CONCERNS, WELL...
(whispering)
JUST ASK THESE
DOCTORS WHAT THEY THINK.
OKAY, I'LL HELP.
POPCORN IS HIGH IN FIBER, WHICH
WE ALL KNOW IS A GOOD THING.
DENTISTS DIG IT BECAUSE
IT IS A SUGARLESS SNACK,
AND ALTHOUGH PEDIATRICIANS WARN
AGAINST SERVING POPCORN
TO TODDLERS BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL
CHOKING HAZARDS,
THEY DO LIKE HOME-POPPED
CORN FOR OLDER KIDS
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
CONTAIN ADDITIVES, DYES,
PRESERVATIVES OR OTHER,
YOU KNOW, STUFF.
MICROWAVED AND BUTTER-
FLAVORED MOVIE POPCORN
COULD POSSIBLY BE ANOTHER STORY,
SO POP YOUR OWN.
IT'S GOOD,
IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
(louder voice)
AND IT'S MORE FUN THAN
A BARREL FULL OF MDs.
SHH.
SHH.
SHH.
(whispering)
SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "GOOD EATS."
AND CUT.
(woman)
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY,
THAT'S HALF AN HOUR FOR LUNCH.
WHAT?
YEAH, THAT'S FUN--
HEY.
WH--
HEY, BRAD MAN, HELP.
GIVE ME A--
(man snickering)
OH, COME ON.
OH, YEAH.
IF THERE'S A SNACK FOOD
THAT'S MORE AMERICAN,
I CAN'T THINK OF IT.
I MEAN, AFTER ALL,
CORN, OR MAIZE,
AS THE REST OF
THE WORLD CALLS IT,
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT
NEW WORLD FOOD OF ALL,
AND POPCORN IS CERTAINLY
THE MOST AMERICAN FORM
OF SAID CEREAL.
(man)
SHH.
THINK ABOUT IT.
POPCORN TASTES GREAT,
IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
AND IT GOES OFF
LIKE FIREWORKS
WHEN YOU COOK IT.
WHAT COULD BE
MORE AMERICAN?
HEY, SHUT UP,
YOU IDIOT.
SORRY.
BUT LIKE SO MANY CRUCIAL
ELEMENTS OF AMERICANA,
WE'VE ALLOWED POPCORN
TO FALL FROM GRACE.
WHAT WERE ONCE
FLAVORFUL SNOWFLAKES,
PERFECT AND UNIQUE,
HAVE BEEN SUPPLANTED
WITH FLAVORLESS
PACKING MATERIALS,
GROWN FOR YIELD
RATHER THAN FLAVOR
OR TEXTURE.
QUITE DOWN FRONT.
OH...
TO MAKE UP FOR THIS,
TODAY'S AVERAGE BOWL
OF POPCORN
HAS BEEN BATHED
IN NOXIOUS FLAVOR AND--
THAT'S SO RUDE.
AND DOSED UP
WITH SO MUCH SALT,
YOU COULD MAKE
A MINI LOT'S WIFE.
EXCUSE ME, SIR.
JUST A SECOND.
AS FOR THE POPPING
ITSELF...
SIR?
WHAT USED TO BE
A COMMUNAL ACT,
BONDING FAMILIES,
FRIENDS, LOVERS--
SIR.
HAS BEEN LEFT TO BIG
INDUSTRY, OR WORSE--
SIR?
CONSIGNED TO
THAT SOULLESS BOX,
THE MICROWAVE.
ALL RIGHT, THAT'S
IT, SIR. COME ON.
JUST, HEY, LOOK...
WELL, I SAY IT'S TIME
FOR POPCORN LOVERS
TO TAKE--
(man)
SIT DOWN,
YOU FREAK.
BACK THE SNACK.
TAKE BACK THE SNACK!
COME ON.
BECAUSE NOT ONLY
IS POPCORN GOOD
AND GOOD FOR YOU,
IT'S GOOD CLEAN FUN,
WHATEVER...
NOT TO MENTION...
¶
Captioning provided by
Scripps Networks, Inc.
Captioned by
Closed Captioning Services, Inc.
ALTHOUGH POPCORN HAS
ALWAYS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE
IN THE PANTHEON
OF AMERICAN POP CULTURE--
(chuckles)
(man)
POPCORN.
GET YOUR POPCORN.
TRUTH IS, A LOT
OF THAT CULTURE
IS COMPLETE
FABRICATION.
HOT, FRESH POPCORN.
FOR INSTANCE, MOVIE
THEATERS HAVE NOT
ALWAYS SOLD THE STUFF.
UH, YEAH.
IN THE OLD DAYS,
THEATER OWNERS
USED TO RENT SPACE
OUTSIDE THEIR
PLACES TO LOCAL
POPCORN VENDORS
WHO USED TO MOVE
THEIR CARTS
AROUND THE CITY.
YEAH, IT WASN'T
UNTIL THE DEPRESSION
WHEN A 5-CENT BAG
OF POPCORN SEEMED LIKE
AN AFFORDABLE LUXURY,
THE MOVIE THEATERS
GOT WISE AND STARTED
POPPING THEIR OWN.
TODAY, A VAST MAJORITY
OF A THEATER'S PROFITS
COMES FROM POPCORN.
NOW HERE'S ANOTHER MYTH.
YOU KNOW THAT
FIRST THANKSGIVING?
THERE WAS NO POPCORN.
UNH-UNH.
OUR ONLY RELIABLE
ACCOUNT OF THAT EVENT,
A 1622 BOOK CALLED,
"MORT'S RELATION,"
OLD MAN MORT,
HE NEVER EVEN
MENTIONED THE STUFF.
IN FACT, POPCORN
DIDN'T BECOME POPULAR IN
THE EASTERN UNITED STATES
UNTIL 19th-CENTURY
WHALERS...
19th-CENTURY
WHALERS
BROUGHT IT
UP FROM CHILE.
BROUGHT IT BACK
FROM CHILE.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT.
NOW IN THE AMERICAN
SOUTHWEST...
AH, THAT'S
ANOTHER STORY.
YOU LOOK REALLY
FAMILIAR TO ME.
OH, YEAH?
WAIT TILL YOU SEE
THE NEXT SCENE. WHA!
(grunting)
WELCOME TO BAT CAVE,
CATRON COUNTY, NEW MEXICO.
THESE CAVERNS ONCE HOUSED
AN ANCIENT AGRARIAN SOCIETY
WHO WERE HEAVILY
DEPENDENT UPON MAIZE
FOR THEIR NUTRITION.
BECAUSE OF THE COOL,
DRY MICROCLIMATE HERE,
THESE CAVERNS
ARE A FANTASTIC PLACE
TO FIND REMAINS OF--UM--
ANCIENT STRAINS OF MAIZE.
WHEW.
YOU KNOW, ALTON,
SCIENTISTS HAVE
BEEN WORKING HERE
FOR ABOUT 50 YEARS,
AND THEY FOUND CORN
TASSELS AND CORN HUSKS
AND EVEN
LITTLE TINY EARS
OF ANCIENT POPCORN
STILL ON THE COB.
REALLY?
YEAH.
DID YOU THINK
ABOUT THINK ABOUT
(breathing heavily)
A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST?
BECAUSE I KNOW I
WASN'T THINKING ABOUT
A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST.
WELL, TODAY, I'M
NOT A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST.
TODAY, I AM AN
ARCHEO-ETHNOBOTANIST.
YEAH?
YEAH.
WELL, WHAT ARE
YOU DOING HERE?
I'M WORKING.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING
HERE BESIDES TRAMPLING
ALL OVER MY DIG?
WELL, SORRY...
I WAS LOOKING FOR SOME
1,000-YEAR-OLD POPCORN.
OH, WELL, JUST LOOK
AROUND 'CAUSE THIS
PLACE IS FULL OF IT,
AND IT STILL
POPS, TOO.
ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS
SOAK IT IN A LITTLE
WATER AND LET IT GO.
WOW.
BUT IT'S AN ANCIENT
FORM OF ZEA MAYS,
BUT THE KERNELS
ARE SO HARD,
THE ONLY WAY
FOR PEOPLE TO GET
AT THE NUTRITION
WAS TO POP IT OPEN.
WOW. WELL,
TELL ME SOMETHING.
HOW DID THE NATIVE AMERICANS
POP IT
WHEN THEY WEREN'T
KNOWN FOR USING
A FAT AS
A COOKING MEDIUM?
SAND.
SAND?
SAND.
YOU PUT THE KERNELS
IN A 3-LEGGED POT
FULL OF SAND.
IT WAS PLACED
ON THE FIRE,
AND THEN WHEN THE SAND
GOT HOT ENOUGH,
THE KERNELS WOULD POP
UP TO THE SURFACE.
COOL. I WONDER WHO
THOUGHT OF THAT?
WELL, IT WAS PROBABLY
AN ACCIDENTAL DISCOVERY,
BUT I CAN IMAGINE THAT
BACK IN THE OLD DAYS,
SITTING AROUND
THE CAMPFIRE AT NIGHT,
THAT POPPING POPCORN
COULD HAVE BEEN A FORM
OF ENTERTAINMENT.
TOO BAD THEY DIDN'T
HAVE ANY BUTTER.
WELL, THEY PROBABLY
POUNDED IT WITH WATER
INTO SOME SORT
OF A GRUEL OR MUSH.
WOW, THAT SOUNDS...
NUTRITIOUS.
VERY NOURISHING.
TELL ME SOMETHING, DEB,
I DON'T SEE ANY BATS.
I DON'T SMELL ANY BATS.
WHY DO THEY
CALL THIS BAT CAVE?
AH, DEBORAH,
THERE YOU ARE...
AND WITH THE POPCORN.
EXCELLENT.
WE NEED YOU BACK
IN THE BAT KITCHEN.
CITIZEN...
SORRY, ALTON,
GOTTA GO.
THE BOYS NEED ME.
YEAH, I BET THEY DO.
WHO WRITES THIS STUFF?
(grunting)
THE NEXT TIME YOU SET OUT
TO PURCHASE POPCORN,
CONSIDER THE CRITERIA
OF THE BIG POPCORN GROWERS--
WHAT ABOUT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE?
WELL, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
THEY DON'T REALLY
ENTER THE EQUATION,
WHICH, IF YOU ASK ME,
IS A DARN GOOD REASON
TO SEEK OUT THE OLD VARIETIES,
WHICH COME IN TWO BASIC SHAPES.
THERE ARE THE PEARLS,
WHICH ARE SMOOTH AND ROUND,
AND RICE, WHICH
ARE KIND OF POINTY.
NOW HERE WE HAVE
THE PINK DIAMOND,
PURPLE AMETHYST,
BABY BLACK PEARL,
SOUTHWEST GOLD,
BABY BLUE SAPPHIRE,
BABY PEARL, RED RUBY,
BABY YELLOW TOPAZ,
BLUE SAPPHIRE,
AND PETITE PRINCESS AMBER.
NOW EACH ONE OF THESE HAS
A DISTINCT FLAVOR AND TEXTURE
AND A DISTINCT POP SIZE,
BUT DON'T BE DECEIVED
BY THE COLOR.
EXCEPT FOR THE WHITE VARIETIES,
WHICH WILL ALWAYS POP UP WHITE,
THEY'RE ALL YELLOW
DEEP DOWN WHERE IT COUNTS.
WHY IS POPCORN
OUR ONLY EXPLODING FOOD?
WELL, LET'S PONDER
SOME OF THE PARTS INVOLVED.
FIRST THERE IS THE PERICARP.
OKAY, NOW ALL GRAINS
HAVE THIS HARD OUTER SHELL,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
THE PERICARP IS UNUSUALLY HARD,
AND IT'S UNIQUE IN THE FACT
THAT IT CAN ABSORB AND RADIATE
HIGH AMOUNTS OF HEAT
TO THE INTERIOR OF THE KERNEL
WITHOUT ACTUALLY BURNING.
ALL GRAINS ALSO HAVE AN INTERIOR
FUEL TANK, OR ENDOSPERM,
COMPOSED OF TWO DIFFERENT
TYPES OF STARCH,
BOTH HARD AND SOFT.
POPCORN, HOWEVER, POSSESSES
AN UNUSUALLY HIGH PERCENT
OF THE HARD TYPE
OF STARCH, OKAY?
NOW, PROPER DETONATION
REQUIRES BETWEEN
13% AND 15% WATER,
WHICH IN THIS CASE IS
THE ACTUAL EXPLOSIVE AGENT.
NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO
IS SEAL THIS THING UP TIGHT.
THERE, THAT OUGHT TO STAY PUT.
(German accent)
AND NOW WE APPLY ZEE HEAT.
(normal voice)
AH, THERE.
NOW AS THE WATER INSIDE BOILS,
IT TURNS INTO STEAM, RIGHT?
AND THAT MEANS IT INCREASES
IN VOLUME BY A FACTOR OF--
I DON'T KNOW--40 OR 50,
AND THAT APPLIES A HUGE
AMOUNT OF PRESSURE
ON THE INSIDE OF THE KERNEL.
NOW MOST VARIETIES OF MAIZE
ARE LOADED WITH SOFT STARCH
WHICH CAN'T POSSIBLY
HOLD THAT MUCH PRESSURE.
POPCORN, BEING LOADED
WITH HARD STARCH, CAN,
SO RIGHT NOW, THE PRESSURE
IS BUILDING AND BUILDING.
EVENTUALLY, THE STEAM
WILL COMBINE WITH THE STARCH
TO CREATE SOMETHING
KIND OF LIKE LAVA.
WHEN THE PRESSURE
REACHES A CRITICAL POINT--
(chuckles)
WELL, THAT'S GONNA BE FUN.
(pot making popping noise)
THE PERICARP RUPTURES,
SPEWING HOT LIQUID STARCH
IN ALL DIRECTIONS.
AS THE PRESSURE IS RELEASED,
THE CORN--LAVA--
BEGINS TO COOL AND SET
INTO THIS RATHER CURIOUS SHAPE.
NOW IF ANYONE OUT
THERE HAS A PHONE,
I'D APPRECIATE IT
IF YOU WOULD DIAL 911,
AND I'LL JUST WAIT HERE.
UGH.
HERE'S ANOTHER THING THAT MAKES
POPCORN SPECIFICALLY AMERICAN.
IT WAS GREATLY POPULARIZED
AFTER THE CIVIL WAR
BY THE DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING
OF POPCORN POPPERS.
IF THAT'S NOT
AN AMERICAN CONCEPT,
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS.
NOW BACK THEN, POPPERS WERE
HEARTH-BASED APPLIANCES.
THAT IS, THEY WERE MEANT
TO BE USED OVER A FIRE.
NOW THE EARLIEST MODELS
WERE ESSENTIALLY JUST WIRE MESH
BOXES WITH WOODEN HANDLES.
THERE'S NO MEDIUM TO EVENLY
MOVE HEAT INTO THE KERNELS,
SO THIS METHOD, UH,
TAKES FOREVER,
AND THERE ARE
A LOT OF BURNT PIECES
AND LOADS OF OLD MAIDS.
HI.
OW.
OKAY, FINE. FROM NOW ON, WE'LL
CALL THEM LITTLE ORPHANS.
(suspenseful music playing)
HI.
HEY. WHAT THE...
THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT
WAS SOMETHING I LIKE TO CALL
THE BED-WARMER POPPER.
THE REASON IT
WAS AN ADVANCEMENT?
SOLID BOTTOM, WHICH MEANS
THAT YOU COULD ACTUALLY POP
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF FAT.
THE PROBLEM IS, UH,
THE BOTTOM WAS WAY TOO WIDE,
SO YOU STILL ENDED UP
WITH A LOT OF BURNING
AND A LOT OF, UH,
WELL, HOW SHALL I SAY,
BAD KERNELS.
(German accent)
PERHAPS YOU COULD USE
SOME TIME IN THE COOLER?
POPCORN?
NEIN.
OKAY.
"W," WHAT'S POPPIN'?
WHAT?
WHAT'S POPPING?
PUT THESE ON.
ARE YOU SERIOUS?
REGULATIONS.
(thinking)
NOW THESE THINGS
ARE JUST RIDICULOUS.
HEY, WAIT A SECOND.
I CAN'T HEAR
A WORD SHE SAYS.
THIS COULD
BE KIND OF FUN.
I'LL GO ALONG,
KIND OF PRETEND.
...AND MANUAL
WITH OIL...
OH, YEAH. IT'S MUCH
BETTER WITH THEM ON.
HMM. I DON'T KNOW WHAT
SHE'S SAYING, SOMETHING
ABOUT POPCORN POPPERS.
WHAT? OH, BETTER
KEEP UP THE CHARADE.
UH-HUH. YES.
EAT SOME POPCORN.
THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
YUCK. IT DOESN'T
HAVE ANY SALT ON IT.
IT'S WRETCHED.
OH, NOW THAT'S
JUST SILLY.
EVEN IF ALL
THE KERNELS POP,
STEAM CONDENSES
ON THE DOME AND RUNS
BACK ON THE CORN.
EVEN IF IT WORKED
PERFECTLY,
WHO'D WANT SUCH
A GIGANTIC UNI-TASKER
HANGING AROUND
THE KITCHEN?
WELL, NOT ME.
OOH, SWEET...
IT'S ONE OF THOSE
MOVIE THEATER MODELS.
YEAH, THERE'S
A LITTLE THING
THAT ROTATES UP TOP,
AND ALL THE POPCORN POPS,
AND THEN YOU DUMP IT OUT,
AND THE WARMING
LIGHTS KEEP IT
NICE AND TOASTY.
BLAH, BLAH, BLAH...
I WONDER HOW MUCH
THIS THING COSTS?
SOMEWHERE FROM $1,000...
SO...
EW...
I LIKE POPCORN.
I DON'T LIKE
POPCORN THAT MUCH.
HMM, MAYBE THIS AIR-POP
MODEL'S NOT SO BAD.
THE PROBLEM IS
IS WITHOUT ANY FAT INSIDE,
THERE'S NO WAY
FOR THE SALT TO STICK,
AND POPCORN WITHOUT SALT IS,
WELL, PACKING MATERIAL.
THIS BOWL, HOWEVER...
THAT COULD BE USEFUL.
I THINK I'LL JUST SLIP OUT.
IF MY CALCULATIONS ARE CORRECT,
EACH AND EVERYONE OF US
IN POSSESSION OF A HEAVY-GAUGE,
WE'LL SAY 18/10,
STAINLESS STEEL BOWL
IN THE 6-QUART RANGE,
ALREADY HAVE THE PERFECT
CORN POPPER IN HAND.
BEHOLD! THE SHAPE...
THE OIL AND UNPOPPED KERNELS
POOL AT THE BOTTOM
WHERE THE HEAT IS THE GREATEST,
WHILE POPPED KERNELS RISE UP
THE SIDE AWAY FROM THE HEAT
SO THAT THEY DON'T BURN,
AND OF COURSE,
ONCE THE POPPING HAS CONCLUDED
AND THE VESSEL IS ALLOWED
TO BRIEFLY COOL,
IT CAN BE USED
AS A SERVING PLATFORM.
NOW, IN ORDER FOR KERNELS
TO POP TO THEIR FULLEST,
RELATIVELY HIGH HEAT
MUST BE EVENLY APPLIED.
NOW SAND MAY HAVE WORKED
FOR THE EARLY AMERICANS,
BUT I BELIEVE THAT OIL
IS THE BEST EVERYDAY COOKING
MEDIUM FOR THIS JOB,
SAY 3 TABLESPOONS
OF A NEUTRAL OIL, LIKE...
WOULD BE MY POP MEDIUM
OF CHOICE.
NOW, AS FOR THE KERNELS
THEMSELVES...
WELL, LET'S SEE WHAT
I'M IN THE MOOD FOR TODAY.
LET'S SEE. I THINK...
AH, YELLOW TOPAZ.
1/2 A CUP SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
MMM.
NOW I AM ALL ABOUT
LETTING THE FLAVOR
OF THE KERNEL COME THROUGH,
BUT LET'S FACE IT,
THERE ARE FEW THINGS ON EARTH
THAT YOU CAN PUT IN YOUR MOUTH
MORE DISAPPOINTING
THAN SALTLESS POPCORN.
NOW I'LL ADMIT KOSHER SALT
IS USUALLY MY ROCK OF CHOICE,
BUT IN THE CASE OF POPCORN,
I FIND THAT THE NEAR
MICROSCOPIC GRANULES
OF POPCORN SALT,
OR PICKLING SALT,
ARE BETTER AT ADHERING
TO THE NOOKS AND CRANNIES
OF THE POPCORN
DURING THE POP PROCESS.
SO DO WE NEED TO BUY SOME? NO.
WE NEVER BUY WHAT WE CAN MAKE.
1 CUP OF KOSHER SALT
GOES INTO OUR FOOD PROCESSOR,
AND I THINK ABOUT TEN
3-SECOND PULSES
SHOULD PERFECTLY SMASH THIS,
OR PULVERIZE IT, RATHER,
INTO THE CORRECT CONSISTENCY.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU DON'T
JUST LET THE MACHINE RUN
BECAUSE THE SALT WOULD
ACT TOO MUCH LIKE A FLUID.
WE WANT TO REALLY PULVERIZE IT.
HOW MANY IS THAT?
THAT'S GOTTA BE TEN. OKAY.
IT'S GONNA BE A LOT OF POWDER,
SO BE CAREFUL,
AND JUST GET THAT
OUT ONTO A FLEXIBLE MAT,
MAKE IT EASIER
FOR DELIVERY LATER.
THERE WE GO.
NOW AS FAR AS VESSELS GO,
I AM A BIG FAN OF SNAP-ON,
PERFORATED LIDS.
SNAPPING ON'S A LOT
EASIER THAN SCREWING ON.
I LIKE THIS PARTICULAR MODEL
BECAUSE IT COMES WITH SEVERAL
DIFFERENT TOP OPTIONS,
BUT WE'LL STICK WITH
THE SMALL ONE FOR THIS.
SO, WE LOAD THUSLY.
NOW A LOT OF FOLKS
LIKE TO PUT RICE
INSIDE FINELY GRANULATED SALT
IN ORDER TO KEEP IT FROM
CLUMPING BECAUSE OF HUMIDITY.
THE TRUTH IS IS THE RICE
DOESN'T ACTUALLY ABSORB
ANY OF THE HUMIDITY.
IF IT DID, YOU'D BE ABLE
TO COOK A POT OF RICE
JUST BY SETTING IT OUT IN THE
RAINFOREST FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS.
WHAT IT REALLY DOES IS
PROVIDE PHYSICAL AGITATION.
THE PROBLEM WITH RICE
IS AS IT BREAKS AND CRACKS,
IT CAN ACTUALLY JAM UP
THE LITTLE HOLES,
SO I SAY SKIP
THE RICE ALTOGETHER
AND USE A LITTLE BIT OF POPCORN,
WHICH I'VE GOT PLENTY OF HERE.
WE'LL TAKE ABOUT A TEASPOON,
ADD TO THE SALT,
GIVE IT A SHAKE,
AND WE ARE GOOD TO GO.
SALT WILL PENETRATE MUCH BETTER
IF IT IS APPLIED TO THE KERNELS
BEFORE THE POPPING.
PLACE A PIECE OF ALUMINUM
FOIL ON TOP OF THE BOWL,
AND NOW PUNCH
A FEW HOLES IN THAT
TO LET STEAM OUT.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, THAT'LL
MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
MEDIUM FLAME GOES ON.
GRAB YOURSELF A PAIR
OF TONGS AND GET TO SHAKING.
NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL
DANCING THE POPCORN DANCE.
45 SECONDS TO A MINUTE
WILL GO BY
AND NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU'RE
COOKING ON GAS OR ELECTRIC.
IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS.
BUT IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU
KEEP THE VESSEL IN MOTION
SO THAT THE HEAT CAN EVENLY
BUILD AROUND THE KERNELS.
DON'T WORRY, YOUR PATIENCE
WILL BE REWARDED.
NOW WHEN IT SOUNDS
LIKE THE POPPING
IS JUST BEGINNING TO SUBSIDE,
PICK UP THE PACE ON THE SHAKING.
THAT'LL KEEP THE POPPED
PIECES FROM BURNING
AND HELP THE FEW REMAINING
KERNELS TO GET THE HEAT
THAT THEY SO BADLY NEED.
NOW...
AAH. JUST SMELL THOSE
PYRAZINES, PHENOLS,
PYRROLES, CARBONYLS AND FURANS.
OH...
YOU CAN'T SMELL THEM, CAN YOU?
I'M SORRY. BUT TRUST ME.
THE AROMA IS DISTINCT
AND DIVINE.
IT IS ALSO FLEETING, WHICH
IS WHY YOU CANNOT GET THIS
OUT OF A BAG OF PREPOPPED
POPCORN, OKAY?
NOW, IF YOU ARE A BUTTER FAN--
WELL, NOW WOULD BE THE TIME.
JUST MELT...
IN A MEASURING CUP
OR A RAMEKIN OR SOMETHING,
AND DRIZZLE IT AROUND AND TOSS.
ME, I'M A PURIST.
SAVE YOUR BUTTER FOR THE--I
DON'T KNOW--CORN ON THE COB.
WELL, IF YOU ASK ME,
THERE'S NOT A SHOW ON EARTH
THAT ISN'T IMPROVED WITH
A GOOD, BIG BOWL OF POPCORN,
INCLUDING THIS ONE.
SAY, YOU PREFER
A FLAVORED POPCORN?
HECK, I DO, TOO, SOMETIMES.
TRY...
SPRINKLED THUSLY,
AND WHAT THE HECK.
WE MIGHT EVEN GIVE IT
A LITTLE SQUIRT
OF THAT BUTTER I WAS BAD-
TALKIN' A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.
OTHER POSSIBILITIES--YOUR
FAVORITE SPICE OR PEPPER RUB...
YOU COULD SQUIRT ON A LITTLE
VINEGAR. SKY'S THE LIMIT.
OH, AND IF YOU
LIKE THE CANDIED STUFF
THAT THEY TALK
ABOUT IN THAT SONG,
"TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME"--
YOU KNOW, THE ONE WITH THE
PRIZE IN THE BOX--NOT A PROBLEM.
ON THE COOKTOP SIDE,
THE HARDWARE WILL INCLUDE
A MEDIUM SAUCEPAN, A CANDY
OR FRYING THERMOMETER
AND A HEATPROOF
SPATULA OF SOME TYPE.
ON THE COUNTERTOP SIDE,
YOU WILL REQUIRE THE SERVICES
OF ONE HALF-SHEET PAN,
ONE PIECE OF PARCHMENT PAPER
CUT TO FIT.
YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO
NEED SOME NO-STICK SPRAY,
BOTH ON THE PAN
AND ONCE THE PAPER IS DOWN,
ON TOP OF THAT, TOO.
THIS IS STICKY STUFF, KIDS.
THERE.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST,
ONE VERY LARGE
STAINLESS STEEL BOWL.
NOW, SOFTWARE
ON THE COUNTER SIDE...
WHILE YOU'RE BUSY
WITH THE SOFTWARE,
GO AHEAD AND SET YOUR OVEN
FOR 112.11 DEGREES CELSIUS.
FOR YOU FAHRENHEIT FANS,
THAT'S...
AND NOW FOR THE APPLICATION...
YES, THAT'S RIGHT.
1 STICK OF BUTTER
GOES INTO THE SAUCEPAN
OVER MEDIUM HEAT.
ONCE YOUR BUTTER IS MELTED,
ADD...
THAT'S ABOUT 2 CUPS...
...AND BRING THE MIXTURE
TO 250 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
SOFTWARE ON THE COUNTER SIDE
INCLUDES...
ABOUT 3 QUARTS TOSSED WITH...
WHEN IT HITS
THE CORRECT TEMPERATURE,
POUR THE SYRUP RIGHT
ONTO THE POPCORN MIXTURE.
WORK AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN
TO GET IT ALL OUT,
BECAUSE IT WILL SET UP
VERY, VERY QUICKLY ON YOU.
THERE.
NOW USE YOUR SPATULA
AND JUST FOLD THE SYRUP
ONTO THE CORN.
TURNING THE BOWL HELPS.
JUST GET IT DONE
AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN.
AT THIS POINT, THE SYRUP
SHOULD BE COOL ENOUGH
TO WHERE YOU CAN JUST
KIND OF USE YOUR HANDS
AND SPREAD EVERYTHING OUT
UNTIL IT IS GOOD AND EVEN.
THERE. NOW TO THE OVEN...
OH, OH, WAIT! (chuckles)
I GUESS I OUGHT TO CLEAN UP
THAT NO-STICK SPRAY.
ANYWAY, SLIDE THIS INTO
THE OVEN FOR ONE HOUR.
THIS LOW TEMPERATURE WILL DRIVE
AWAY A GOOD BIT OF THE MOISTURE,
LEAVING US WITH
A NICE CRISP CANDY.
WHOA! (thud)
THAT LONG, LOW COOKING
HAS NOW GIVEN US
THAT EVER SO SLIGHTLY CARAMEL,
BURNED FLAVOR THAT CRACKER--
WELL, THAT OTHER STUFF
IS KNOWN FOR.
NOW WE HAVE TO HAVE
A PRIZE, OF COURSE,
SO I'M THINKING THAT A FLOSS
PICK WOULD BE A GOOD THING.
YOU KNOW, THAT PERICARP
CAN BE A REAL KILLER.
ARE THERE OTHER OPTIONS
FOR POPCORN LEFTOVERS?
SURE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE
WILLING TO WAIT TILL MORNING.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
POPCORN WAS THE FIRST
AMERICAN BREAKFAST CEREAL.
IN FACT, IT WAS SERVED
AT KELLOGG'S FAMED
BATTLE CREEK SANITARIUM
LONG BEFORE CORN
FLAKES WERE INVENTED.
IN FACT, IT HAS BEEN SAID
THAT THE REASON THAT
JOHN KELLOGG'S BROTHER, W.K.,
DEVELOPED CORN FLAKES
IN THE FIRST PLACE
IS THAT HE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
HOW TO MARKET BOXES
OF PREPOPPED POPCORN.
NOW, IF I POP CORN AT NIGHT,
I ALWAYS SAVE
SOME FOR BREAKFAST.
FIRST, THE CORN...
OBVIOUSLY, LIGHTLY SALTED,
BUT OTHERWISE
UNFLAVORED WOULD BE BEST,
THEN EITHER WHOLE MILK,
OR IF YOU'RE FEELING
EXTRAVAGANT, HALF-AND-HALF,
SPRINKLE WITH A BIT OF SUGAR
AND DIG RIGHT IN.
HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!
NOW THAT IS ALL-NATURAL
CORNY GOODNESS--
MMM--FOR JUST A PENNY A BOWL.
AS FOR HEALTH CONCERNS, WELL...
(whispering)
JUST ASK THESE
DOCTORS WHAT THEY THINK.
OKAY, I'LL HELP.
POPCORN IS HIGH IN FIBER, WHICH
WE ALL KNOW IS A GOOD THING.
DENTISTS DIG IT BECAUSE
IT IS A SUGARLESS SNACK,
AND ALTHOUGH PEDIATRICIANS WARN
AGAINST SERVING POPCORN
TO TODDLERS BECAUSE OF POTENTIAL
CHOKING HAZARDS,
THEY DO LIKE HOME-POPPED
CORN FOR OLDER KIDS
BECAUSE IT DOESN'T
CONTAIN ADDITIVES, DYES,
PRESERVATIVES OR OTHER,
YOU KNOW, STUFF.
MICROWAVED AND BUTTER-
FLAVORED MOVIE POPCORN
COULD POSSIBLY BE ANOTHER STORY,
SO POP YOUR OWN.
IT'S GOOD,
IT'S GOOD FOR YOU,
(louder voice)
AND IT'S MORE FUN THAN
A BARREL FULL OF MDs.
SHH.
SHH.
SHH.
(whispering)
SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "GOOD EATS."
AND CUT.
(woman)
ALL RIGHT, EVERYBODY,
THAT'S HALF AN HOUR FOR LUNCH.
WHAT?
YEAH, THAT'S FUN--
HEY.
WH--
HEY, BRAD MAN, HELP.
GIVE ME A--
(man snickering)
OH, COME ON.