Perfect Home-made Popcorn!

I have said many a time here before how popcorn is my favorite snack.  Popcorn and frozen yogurt actually, I can't quite pick between the two, it really just depends on whether I want something sweet or savory.  Popcorn is one of those things, that no matter how full I am, if I smell it, I want it.  It makes watching movies so much more enjoyable, but after reading an article that named movie-theater popcorn as one of the worst foods of all time, I no longer treat myself to the buttery, crunchy delight.  This inspired me to make  delicious popcorn at home.  Microwave popcorn doesn't even count as far as I'm concerned.  But not all popcorn was created equal either.   There is a right way to enjoy popcorn in my opinion:  using only three ingredients and cooked on the stove.  Something else I'd like to point out is that there are all kinds of gourmet popcorn kernels available- the perfect gift for the popcorn lover in your family.  They range from the whitest of white all the way to  midnight black. Some yield fluffy large kernels and others yield crunchier smaller kernels.  Tastes also range from mild and crisp to nutty and buttery.  Today I'll show two varieties, and my favorite way make home-made popcorn.

The first variety I made was the standard golden Orville Redenbacher popping corn.  The actual corn kernel is large and plump, and has a beautiful golden color.  The popped kernel yields a mild flavor, pops really fluffy and large and has a slight yellowish hue to it.

The second batch I made is known as "black jewel" popcorn.  The description on the site says " black jewel kernels are smaller with a tender hull that shatters when it pops. This means you get fewer hulls in your teeth and gums. Fewer hulls mean black jewel popcorn is also easier to digest than yellow kernel popcorn. Black Jewel is a very flavorful, crunchy textured popcorn that pops snow white with black centers.  I found this description to be very accurate.  I will add that this variety has a much more noticeable "corn" flavor.  After trying them back to back, you realize how mild the standard variety is.  I personally like the black jewel variety better.  Also worth noting, the black jewel produces less volume than the standard yellow.  I had to use twice the amount of kernels to yield the same amount of popped corn that the yellow variety produced.  This is because the black kernel is smaller in size and not as fluffy.

Here is a picture of  the black jewel  kernels when they're un-popped and popped.

Now look at the difference side by-side:

Recipe for my favorite popcorn:

Ingredients:

3  tbsp.  popping corn kernels (double this amount if you're making the black jewel variety)

2 tbsp. coconut oil (not extra virgin or it will impart the coconut taste)

2 tsp. popcorn salt

Add the kernels and oil into a pot with a lid and turn the heat up to medium high.  Leave the lid off until you start to hear a slight sizzle.  Place the lid over the pot and when you hear the first few kernels pop, turn the heat down to medium.  Turn off the heat once you hear the popping slow down a bit- about 1-2 minutes.  Let the pot rest for about one minute before removing the lid.  Transfer the popcorn into a large bowl and sprinkle the popcorn salt over the first few ladle fulls of popcorn.  Continue to add the popcorn to the bowl and season the top with a little more popcorn salt before serving.

Side note: it is very important that you use popcorn salt.  Popcorn salt is just salt that is very fine, but because it is so fine, it sticks to the popcorn.  Regular salt won't stick to the kernel and you'll have bland popcorn. Also. good to know, this popcorn keeps well in a zip lock bag for about a week.  I usually make a big batch and then put them in individual bags to take to work.  I hope you'll enjoy this recipe as much as we do, all in all it is a healthy snack that is full of fiber, whole grains, and gluten free. Plus, your house will smell like the movies for a little while which makes it great for those cozy blockbuster nights with your honey.

The Death of My Dearly Beloved Grandmother, Ata

After a long hiatus in blogging, I am back to my regular routine. Several things took place over the last couple of weeks; I started a new class, flew home to record the Delicioso show, and experienced the death of my grandmother.  Now that the dust has settled, it has finally hit me: my grandmother is gone. This past week was tough, but it sort of feels like everything happened in frames, almost like a movie. After the stress of flying home in a rush, planning the funeral arrangements, contacting relatives and friends, being there for family, and finally laying her to rest,  I am emotionally drained.  The reality has set in.  I won't hear her voice anymore, or get to ask her how her day was, or what she made for dinner.  She won't ask me over and over why I've been married for almost 10 years and I still haven't given her any great-grandchildren, or why I moved so far away.

I take solace in the fact that she lived a long life, and that I was able to say goodbye.  I saw God's hand in how everything played out.  I wasn't supposed to travel home this summer at all.  I started taking a photography class and decided that I didn't want to miss any of the sessions, but out of the blue, one of the producers from the Delicioso show called me and asked me if I could make it over to Miami so that I could film a segment of the show.  I was in Miami for a few days and was heading home first thing Friday morning.  I decided to spend some time with my grandmother Thursday afternoon.  I spent a good three hours with her in her house.  Talking and laughing with her.  She told me stories of my childhood, and some of her youth as she usually did.  I picked up my keys to leave about after an hour of our visit, but for some reason, I decided to stay a while longer.  I did this three times but decided to stay, thinking to myself that I didn't know when I’d see her again.  Right before I left, she asked me to hang up her clothes, and I can't explain it, but I got this overwhelming feeling that moment would be the last time I'd be in her apartment.  I remember looking at all her things with this feeling of sadness and nostalgia thinking to myself what a clean and organized “viejita” she was.  I gave her a big hug and stroked her silver hair for the last time before heading home. I was even able to video tape her telling me a story. I spent the day with her for most of that Thursday.  I received a call Friday evening from my brother saying that my grandmother had suffered a heart attack and was in critical condition.  She died Saturday morning at dawn.

Most people would rationalize this loss and say things like "she was ninety-six, and lived a long life" or "at least she died quickly and didn't suffer".  And although these things are true, it still doesn't take away the enormous hole that is in my heart now that she is gone.  She is a big part of me, and I am so thankful for all the love she gave me throughout my life.  My grandmother was an orphan when she was very little. She never met her dad and her mother died when she was four.  She lost her daughter at the age of seven and her eldest son at the age of seventeen to sicknesses that in today's world are curable.  Yet despite all of these things, she was able to move on.  She demonstrated a resilience that was always astounding to me.  Despite those tragedies, she was filled with life, laughter and love.  She didn't have much to give in terms of wealth, but she gave what she could: herself.  Everything she did, she did for my brothers,  my dad and me.  She was selfless and demonstrated unconditional and unwavering love for us and those around her.

I have so many lovely memories of her.  She was truly always there for us, and for me. I depended on her in ways that I can't quite explain.  I am a self-sufficient adult, who is stable, healthy and happy, yet I always looked at her through the eyes of a child.  She kept my childhood alive through her stories and the memories she created. It feels as though a piece of my childhood is gone now that she is not with me. She influenced me in so many ways, from my love of the kitchen and cooking to always being loyal to my family above all, regardless of what may have happened.  She was loved by so many, and it was not surprising to see how many people mourned her loss.

Although the wound is still fresh, I know in time it will get easier, but I also know I will never forget her- she will always be a part of me. I will never forget how she greeted me when I arrived from Dallas  to visit her for this last time.  She smiled and laughed when she saw me as tears of joy streamed down her face. What a reception that was.  It is not every day that one receives a welcoming like that. But my grandmother was an exceptionally loving person who truly loved without restraint. Even though I try, I can't seem to get her off my mind. I miss her so much already and she's only been gone a few days.  I look forward to the day when I can sit down next to her and give her a hug and she can ask me about those great-grandchildren again.