Pop, pop, pop....Popcorn yum!

Pop corn is one of my favorite snacks.

Any flavor that you like can certainly be added to it whether savory or sweet (or both).

My own perference is savory.

I love curry powder or a garlic/parmesan mix on mine.

But of course there's no subsitutude for the classic ...a little butter and salt.

Years ago when I lived with my sister and we were attending college , I would eat popcorn on an almost a consitant bases.

My sister would come home from work and as she entered our apartment building she would smell that familar yummy smell of fresh popped corn over the stove.

The waft spilled over into the hall ways and she would always tease me that she knew I was home.

The smell brings back so many fond memories for me.

So I was curious , where and or who discovered popcorn. How was it used in the days it was discovered.

Here's what I found....

Who Invented Popcorn?

Who Invented Popcorn?

http://www.rocketcityspacepioneers.com/space/who-invented-popcorn

Popcorn is one of America's favorite snack foods. Light and airy, it can be served traditionally with butter and salt, or flavored with cheddar cheese, caramel, ginger, cinnamon, coconut, or a variety of other seasonings. Millions of bags of popcorn are consumed every year in movie theaters and homes across America.

But, do you know who invented popcorn? And what would happen if you tried to cook popcorn in space? Before we go into orbit, let's go back in time. Popcorn is one of the oldest known forms of maize, with evidence of it found in New Mexico as far back as 3600 BC.

The indigenous peoples of Mesoamerica invented popcorn by domesticating maize. While some wild strains of corn pop, others are the result of cross breeding different varieties.

So why does popcorn pop? The kernels have a hard, moisture-sealed hull with oil and a dense starchy interior. When heated to a proper temperature, the oil turns the moisture into super pressurized steam which causes the kernels to pop open explosively.

Popcorn is one of America's favorite snack foods.

Despite thousands of years of people eating popcorn in North America, the food didn't become a commercial success until the late 1800s. Before this period, popcorn was heated in wire basked over an open flame, resulting in inconsistent popping and quality.

In 1885, Charles Cretors of Chicago came up with a better way. He invented a steam-driven machine that popped corn in a mixture of lard, salt, and clarified butter. Steam from the engine helped to keep the popped corn hot and fresh. Replicas are still used today by street vendors.

Cretors' popcorn-making machine.

Cretors' popcorn-making machine was a hit when he introduced it during the Columbian Exposition in 1893. During the same event, F.W. Rueckheim introduced the first caramel corn, which was flavored with molasses. His brother, Louis, altered the recipe and began selling Cracker Jack popcorn three years later.

Popcorn became immensely popular during the Great Depression because it was cheap compared to other foods. During World War II, sugar rationing cut into candy production, causing a further increase in popcorn production.

Today, most popcorn consumed in the United States is grown in Nebraska, Indiana, and Texas. At least six cities in Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Ohio lay claim to the title “Popcorn Capital of the World.” Popcorn is the official snack food of Illinois.

One interesting question is whether popcorn would pop if you dropped it in space. Popular Science took on this fascinating - if obscure - question back in 2008. And the answer was: it depends.

Although the kernel would certainly heat up as it entered the Earth's atmosphere, the water inside of it would have been sucked out long before by the cold vacuum of space. So, the trick would be to keep the kernel watertight until it hit the atmosphere.

Provided you could do that, would the kernel pop? Possibly. It all depends on the friction generated by the kernel as it enters the atmosphere. If the friction is too high, the kernel's outer husk would burn off before it could pop. And even if the kernel did pop, it would burn up in the atmosphere anyway.

So, reentry popcorn doesn't seem to be a promising business venture. So, let's stick to popping it on Earth.

Popular Science Article

- See more at: http://www.rocketcityspacepioneers.com/space/who-invented-popcorn#sthash.LYrEfkgC.dpuf