Apparently, last time I didn’t pick up many popcorn lovers, alas.  However, that is not going to deter me one whit from posting my Part Deux to that delightful, ultimate gourmet food that Tom and I both savor.

Well – we don’t eat nearly as much as we used to, but still enjoy the "gourmet" kind when we do.  So, here’s my second and you’ll be glad to know last post (at least for a while!) on popcorn.  So, pay attention and you might learn something, as well as having fun reading!

POPPED PERFECTION: PREPARATION & PRESENTATION

 Having totally "roasted" Starbucks last time, I must confess I’ve made
a few furtive forays into that slendiferous establishment out in
Abilene, Texas, some 750 miles away from home so as to try to
completely avoid detection by anyone who could possibly know me.

However,
it was total magnanimity on my part to keep in the good graces of my
younger sister, Laura, who has been captured by its spell. We just went
to engage in a little "sisterly"bonding.

By the way – I had a humongous, or whatever they call their biggest size, iced coffee with skim
milk, thank you, and Equal, and it was very good. I have, thus far,
resisted any temptations of that tenor closer to home, even with the
advent of yet a second Starbucks in our fair city, though.

Back to popcorn.

Brief History:

Again, I go to "Fireworks Popcorn," the source of our more expeditious popcorn moments, for authority. I quote:

Many
scientists believe that popcorn is the oldest of the five types of corn
(sweet corn, field corn, Indian corn, pod cord, popcorn). Archeologists
believe cultivation of popcorn dates back 5,000 years. Research
indicates North and South American Indians were popping popcorn over
2,000 years ago! Columbus reported in 1492 seeing West Indies Natives
wearing popcorn corsages. Native Americans first introduced popcorn to
American colonists at the first Thanksgiving Feast when they brought
deerskin gifts filled with popped popcorn. The first fully automated
popcorn popper was publicly introduced in 1893 at the World’s Fair in
Chicago.

 Enough said on that!

Preparation:

This is a crucial component in achieving the ultimate delight that
popcorn has to offer and it took us several years of trial and error to
finally arrive, but was well worth the wait. And, yes, we did eat most
of the rejects along the way, wanting to be frugal as well as happy.
Although, there were more than a few bowls full thrown away over time,
I must admit, but that was mainly due to side issues, such as way too
much salt or the slightest bit too much of a burn (although some
singeing is always tasty). It’s a fine line.

We came to the conclusion that you absolutely cannot find a decent edible pre-packaged microwave popcorn. (Sorry "JD" to be so rough here since you take comfort in your " ACT II 94% fat free kettle korn," Weight Watchers approved or not.)

Ranking
close behind, these days, in popcorn’s cellar is what used to be "good
ol’"theater popcorn, which has gone the way of "good ol’" movies of a
given genre to be displaced by machines off premises sending over stale
bagged popcorn, popped who knows when, and teeny boppers who believe
salt is the second main ingredient, not a condiment to be sprinkled
lightly, emphasis on the "lightly." (Which will be discussed further
below.)

Of course, the reason for the heavy salt is to get you to buy
more of the horrid fountain mud that disguises itself as a potable soft
drink. That, plus the price of all of the above, immediately elminate
them from further consideration.

So, where does that leave us, she ponders rhetorically?
Well, you can always go back to the original "version" of popped corn
and pop the entire corn cob (with kernels still on it, of course) in a
metal basket (with holes in the lid for escaping hot air) over an open
fire.

That
is actually an excellent method on occasion when a certain ambiance and
nostalgia are required. But, certainly not practical at all. Especially
here in hot, humid south Louisiana where the ambiance and nostalgia
quickly evaporate upon reflection of what July’s bill for AC and
natural gas would be to run the AC simultaneously with the fireplace,
all the while sweltering away just for a few mouthfuls of historical
significance (we both have American Indian blood in our heritage, but
figure that the ancestral memories aren’t worth it).

Then, there is the heavy pan method, with lots of shaking and
pondering (when the corn is popped just enough, without being
overcooked or burned), over a hot stove, set on the highest
temperature. That is still the primary method among diehards, but we
moved past that method long ago in favor of a more reliable, easy
method since we are now of more mature years in our popcorn odyssey.

Those alternatives do not exhaust the limit, however, and we
stumbled upon the perfect popper and perfect method upon receiving the
perfect popper gift one Christmas, the "formerly known as Orville
Redenbacher, now known as Presto" Power Popper, which you use in the
microwave oven. This invention has brought mankind and his popcorn
forward in lightyears just when it seemed to be destined for
destruction.

Well – let’s put that more mildly and say on the
verge of anarchy over less than perfect popcorn in every household,
world wide.
The above said invention is a thing to behold. So simple, yet so
profound. Our first one lasted for quite a few years before darkening
up with extended use without the luxury of repeated washings in the
dishwasher (being advocates of the "old school").

You
have to compare it to a well-seasoned, crusty, ancient cast iron
skillet, which can never be replaced, should rarely be washed and is
never to be thrown away, but handed down generation to generation (but,
alas, that is another story, indeed).

We are now on our second one, which rarely sees the inside of a
dishwasher so as to maintain it’s integrity as a perfect popcorn maker.
It is basically a plastic bowl, by the way, with a plastic lid into
which you insert in the bottom "Presto Power Cups," (not to plug Presto
here, but that can’t be helped).

Each Power Cup (which has some
sort of metal lining in it, by the way, similar to the bottom of the
pre-packaged microwave variety), will last for three or four batches of
delectible, delicious, alway perfect delight. The "Power Cups" come 10
to a package for $1.48 apiece (at Wal-Mart) and we try to always have
at least 6 or 8 packages on hand, just for insurance and peace of mind.
The only thing you must add, besides a heaping (mind you "heaping") 1/3
cup of your favorite corn, even El Cheap-O, is 3 tablespoons of (pay
attention now) canola oil.

There
is a caveat to that (which you will be happy to learn, JD). If you are
dieting, you may add less oil or skip the oil entirely and the product
is just as good (well, nearly). Do, by all means, use only canola oil,
though. That is essential.

You will have to test your microwave for time, but we set ours
at 4 minutes on high, watch the kernels fluff up slowly and turn the
switch off just as the last of the kernels is popping, sometimes so
high that they lift the lid. Voila! The makings of a masterpiece is
born.

Presentation:

By the time you’ve gotten this far, the main thing to remember is the "slight" salting of the popcorn once it is in the large
bowl (or bowls, as the case may be, as with us), which is also a
necessity. I mean, whoever heard of small, cereal sized bowls being
used when it comes to popcorn. Heaven forbid!

If you can’t make
enough for everyone to have a nice sized, fairly large bowl, you are in
trouble and no amount of coaching here will help. Just don’t forget not
to oversalt this precious commodity. That is a critical component, as
well.

And, forget about the plethera of seasonings. I’m telling you, they’re not only superflous, but downright heretical.

The only other thing to introduce near the popcorn at this juncture is a once or twice a year, maybe, treat of real
butter, delicately drizzled over the corn to the point that it is all
flavored, but not slathered, in butter. Which is really not good for
you, it’s understood, But, on certain occasions such as wedding
anniversaries and birthdays it serves as a grand finale. (Of course, we
are at a big disadvantage here as we married on my birthday several
years ago, which eliminates one of the chances for such grand yearly
occasions.)

In Conclusion:

Now that you know everything there is to know about popcorn and way more than that – (except the complete
history, which we all now know is long and storied, trailing back some
5,000 years) – you are ready to fully engage in the ultimate gourmet
food.
So, go pop some popcorn and enjoy!

And, P. S., If you have any criticisms of the above method of
preparation and presentation or an arguably better ultimate gourmet
food , please pass along your better ideas. We are always open to
research on a deeper and more complex level (or simpler one, to be more
exact) that will make our pursuit more meaningful and enjoyable.

At least, until we get the commercial popcorn popper Tom wants. Then, we may have to start all over again in hitting just the right note.

[Note: I'm sorry I've been out of pocket and haven't posted something new the past couple of days.  I've been feeling really bad with a couple of different things, including my blood pressure being precipitously low, despite the new medication.  About an hour ago (11:40 a.m.) it was so low standing up that my blood pressure machine couldn't read it.  Sitting down it was a horrible 67/50, at which time I cannot get around or function except either sitting down or lying down. 

Needless to say, I haven’t done much at all around the house.  Tom has had to fend for himself and help take care of me, which he has been very good about.  He is here right now for lunch (he fixed it himself) and helped me get in here to our office so I could drink some coffee and write here to you.

  I see from my site meter that my readership is way down and it’s no wonder!  I’ve not been here!  But, y’all have been great with your favorite food question!  It’s been really interesting and has made my mouth water.  I could have named a whole lot of the different things that y’all have as far as my favorite food, I’m telling ya.

In fact, several of you have asked what my favorite food is.  Well . . . while I love several of the things that y’all have listed, I’ve always said (part for real and part in jest) that my favorite food of all time is popcorn!  I know – that’s pretty weak up against one of Tom’s 2" filets (from Sam’s Club butcher shop) hickory grilled out on our deck or a fried seafood platter from  Li’l Ray’s over in Long Beach, Mississippi on the coast. 

I may elaborate on some of my favorite foods later, but today and next time I want to offer you a humorous look at what I call "The Ultimate Gourmet Food."  (The link is the original post with comments, if you’d like to read them.)  Both articles are posts I wrote for Finding Direction three years ago this month and for which I’ve received more hits than any other except for people looking for wind vane information.

I hope you’ll take the time to read them and to comment to let me know what you think of my thinking on the subject.  You’ll be able to tell from what I write that I know a lot about it and what I’m talking about, for sure!

Here goes!  Cheers & Blessings to each of you today!  Dee

THE ULTIMATE GOURMET FOOD

 Being of humble origins, I find it difficult to get caught up in the
current big craze surrounding various expensive gourmet coffees such as
Starbucks and Gevalia. Although, I know there’s a lot of you out there
who are.

I was stupified when I typed in the words "gourmet coffee" at Yahoo and
found there were 5,680,000 sites on it to look at. 5 1/2 million!!!
I figured it would take me forever and a day to find anything of import
there, so typed in Starbucks to take a look at its site. What I found there was astounding, as well.

To
start off, it’s so complicated that it takes several minutes of
pondering to decide exactly which direction you need to go to even find
the coffee "page" that describes specific coffees and their prices. You
have to start by deciding between "caffeinated" or "decaffeinated."
That was easy enough. If I’m going to drink coffee, its going to have
caffeine in it, or what’s the point. (Although, since my open heart
surgery, I’m supposed to be strictly staying away from caffeine, so
don’t tell my doctors you’re reading this.)

Then, you have to narrow your search by "Origin" – Latin
America, Africa Arabia, Asia Pacific or Blends; "Bean Preferences" -
ground, pod or whole bean; and finally by "Conservation &
Certified" – Fair Trade or Organic. After that you can sort
alphabetically, if you’re so inclined.

I just wanted to know
how much they all cost, but they didn’t have an ascending or descending
price list. I was looking for the bargain basement prices, but found
none.
Starbucks’ coffee ranged from $9.99 (okay – $10) a pound to $15.99
($16).

Gevalia’s
coffee was even more expensive. And, we’re not even talking here about
coffee or espresso or whatever your favorite gourmet hot drink is by
the cup. Which is where all the action is (admit it). We know what
those can run you. A small fortune if you’ve got the Starbucks habit.

Well, here in our household, we engage in a different sort of
gourmet food, being of sound mind and limited means. Tom doesn’t drink
coffee at all, anyway, and I found out just the other night on ABC’s
20/20 from a blind taste test they conducted using six brands of coffee
from very expensive to cheap, including instant coffee, that Sam’s
Club’s brand fared about the best, so that’s great by me. Besides, I
figure we can indulge in our chosen gourmet food for about a year for
what one week’s worth of Starbucks cravings for latte will cost you.

No – we happen to be addicted to the ultimate gourmet food there is (which I have previously alluded to). We both love great popcorn.

You already know Tom loves popcorn from growing up in movie theaters. (See "Living at the Movies"
from April 2005.) I inherited my "popcorn gene" from my dad and
through his lineage, because my mom sure doesn’t have it. Unless, of
course, it skipped a generation there or something, which is a
noteworthy possibility.

When my dad was a kid he worked at the
little movie theater in Abernathy, Texas where he became known as "The
Popcorn Kid." His mother would make popcorn by the washtub full for he
and his two brothers and all their friends, too.
And we have a lot of the gourmet stuff in our house. I counted 17
different kinds last week in all colors, flavors, textures and sizes.

We have 12 kinds of "Fireworks Popcorn," including:

1. Autumn Blaze (it’s fall multi-colors with "small, crunchy flakes")

2. Orchard Blossom (it’s a gorgeous amethyst pink color with a "fluffy and sweet flavor")

3. High Mountain Midnight (deep purple with "robust, wild flavor")

4. Old Hickory (deep brown and "wild and nutty")

5. Starshell Red (red, of course, with "crunchy, rich flavor")

6. Blue Heron (blue with "crunchy, wild flavor")

7. Black Hills (which is deep reddish black)

8. Savannah Gold (one of Tom’s favorites, which is "smooth" with a "sweet flavor")

9. Baby White (which is small, sort of rice like kernels)

10. Wisconsin White Birch ("light, crispy texture")

11. Red River Valley (a deeper red than "Starshell Red" with "uncommon smooth flavor")
and, finally,

12. Flag Day Popcorn (yes – red,white & blue), which is the
"Official Popcorn of Flag Day" with the history of Flag Day given on
the back of the bottle.

Fireworks Popcorn
sells their varieties in sizes ranging from 8 oz. (1/2 lb.) to 25 lb.
bags of each variety for $25, which is a real steal, if you compare it
with gourmet coffee. We haven’t quite graduated to the 25 lb. bags,
yet, but Tom did bring me home a huge
plastic commercial sized tub of about 30 lb. of yellow popcorn from
Sam’s a few years ago (I kid you not!) that took us a while to get
through, let me tell you!

So far, we’ve been buying the case of
12 1 lb. (well, 15 oz.) bottles of the popcorn for $26.60 (you get a
break on the $2.49 apiece price).
The first time we ordered Fireworks’ popcorn off the internet, Tom
started with 12 4 lb. bottles for $6.50 apiece because it was such a
good deal until he added up the total, plus shipping and handling (on
48 lbs. of popcorn, mind you!!). So, he scaled back to the 15 oz.
bottles.

That was bad enough, although at the price of popcorn it’s all relative, I suppose.

We have three kinds of "Settlers’ Popcorn".

1. Settlers’ Sedona Red ("A dark, rich and red kernel known for its refined taste and airy textures. It has a dryer taste.")

2. Settlers’ Harvest Gold (Creamy, chewy texture and mellow
flavor. Sweet flavored corn that is so sweet, it’s like you have
buttered it.")

 3. Settlers’ Blue Moon (This variety of blue corn pops
up larger than most blues and features a wild, robust flavor, with a
creamy texture.")

Settlers’ sells for $1.99 for 15 oz. bottles, but someone gave us ours.

In addition to those 15 varieties, we have plain ol’ cheap
yellow popcorn in a big bag from the grocery store along with a bag of
black popcorn from the grocery store full of small kernels popping up
small with a crunchy, nutty flavor.

Of course, we haven’t even gotten into the interesting history
of popcorn or how to perfectly pop your prized varieties of gourmet
popcorn, but time and space don’t allow here and now, so that will have
to wait for another day. Perhaps the next blog entry would be a good
place to go into the detailed preparation and perfect presentation of
this delightful, yet inexpensive gourmet food.

After all, you
know how important preparation and presentation are to gourmet cooks,
and the history of the food they’re working with.
Any popcorn lovers out there (or popcorn haters)? I’m sure you’ll chime
in when it comes to preparation and presentation.

But, either way, you have to admire the commitment and dedication here among the believers.

You know – things like grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup.  Bologna (okay, make that baloney) sandwiches and hot dogs.  

Tom comes home for lunch every day and he is easy to prepare a meal for.  His usual fare is a sandwich with some sweet gherkins and chips and a bowl of soup.  About once a week or so we’ll both have a big salad and then supper is just a very light meal of leftovers from the weekend or hot dogs for Tom.

Having literally grown up in movie theaters, he absolutely loves hots dogs and pop corn and many nights will just eat a big bowl of pop corn for dinner.

And I make the best grill cheese sandwiches you’ve ever eaten.  I use Colby-Jack cheese on Pepperidge Farm farm style 7 grain bread and let it get really melty and oozy.  Have that with a big bowl of hot tomato soup and you’ve got a meal fit for a king, I’m telling ya.   

So what are some of the simple things in life you like to eat?  Let’s hear it today for the simple things of life that can’t be beat.  You know – like homemade lemonade on a hot sultry summer’s day.  Or a barely ripe golden delicious apple on a cool fall day.  What are some of your favorites?  

But we’ve had a great holiday weekend anyway.  I think I’ll live.  Our friends from Texas said when they got here and found out I had a cold, "You should have called us and told us not to come.  You should have let us know because we told you if you got sick to let us know!"

To which I replied, "What you said was ‘if either of you has to go to an ER or into ICU let us know and we won’t come’," giving me a hard time about my recent hospitalization while on vacation.  Well, neither one of us had to do that, so I didn’t call.  Besides – I wanted them to come!!

I’ve been managing with lots of kleenexes.  (Brand name there and I’m sure I should capitalize the word and show the trademark symbol, but won’t.)  And we had a great time.  Although they spoiled the party by leaving too soon this morning.  Going to stop on the way home to visit another old friend.

Well . . . our traditional Thanksgiving dinner of Tom’s award winning baby back ribs rubbed liberally with his dry rub and slathered and servied with the secret award winning BBQ sauce, baked beans, corn on the cob and homemade coleslaw was a huge success.  Marty graciously made the coleslaw dressing from memory and it  was a big success. as well.  Bill thought the ribs were by far the meatiest, tenderest best smoked ribs he’s ever eaten.  Five stars from he and Marty, the two judges, for the meal so I’d say we scored.

Y’all just plain ol’ missed out, I’m tellin’ ya.  Boy it was good.  Even with my somewhat diminished sense of smell and taste it was still finger lickin’ good.

After that mouth watering lunch we drove over to the Mississippi gulf coast to show them the Katrina devastation.  As often as we go over there it is always still really chilling to see.  The mind continues to be incapable of comprehending the loss.   

We spent the rest of the evening visiting, catching up on old classmates, watching football and watching a movie on our new big HDTV.  Tom finally has his movie theater at home, I think, after literally growing up living in the back of a movie theater (and drive in, too.  See "Living At The Movies").  All we need now are the red velvet curtains on the windows and walls, the luxury recliner seats and the pop corn machine.  Of course we did eat gourmet pop corn.  That was our dessert a few hours after our meal.  First class with us all the way, I’m tellin’ ya.

Yesterday we spent most of the day in New Orleans.  First we ate seafood at River Shack on the Mississippi River road and the rest of the afternoon we walked around the French Quarter going into little shops of all kinds, but mainly art galleries.  Bill is a professional artist so we learned a lot from him about paintings and different kinds of art.  It was perfect sight seeing weather – about 70 degrees, warm in the sun, cool in the shade.  We drank daiquiris and laughed a lot.  It was a perfect day.

We came home to rest a bit and then headed out again to Mandeville to the famed (around here, anyway) Ruby’s Roadhouse to listen to fantastic Louisiana Blues by Tab Benoit (Ben-wah) and his band.  He is an extraordinarily gifted young man on the guitar from Houma, Louisiana down in the bayous below New Orleans.  He burned and blazed through his show on his guitar that looks as if it is a pair of well worn shoes.  He’s worn the finish off of it yet plays it still.  It’s his constant companion.

In between having fun looking at art and enjoying art in the form of fantastic blues music talk came easy.  We enjoyed each other’s company and the presence of each other after so many years of knowing each other. 

I met both Bill & Marty when I was 10 years old when we moved back to Texas and I entered 4th grade there in the middle of the fall semester.  Llife was simple back then, black and white, honed in the steely determination of the cotton farmers who farmed the verdant land of the lower panhandle of Texas.  It was a good life.

Marty lived in town, but Bill and I were out on farms and rode the same trusty old school bus together from 10 years on.  We were bus companions and class companions as well.  We wore our friendship as comfortably as an aged handkerchief folded lovingly in our pocket.  Friendship was born and grew out of the shared life experiences in childhood.  We were molded and modeled by our parents, our town, our very existence on the South Plains of the panhandle of Texas.

Life was good.  We didn’t know it at the time, but it was as good as it can get.  Friendships were forged in fields of crops grown by our parents and harvested to give us sustenance for daily living.   Life on and from the land. 

Those are days gone by for most people in this country and it is a shame.  We must go back to the land to fully recognize our place in this universe.  God is greater than man.  The land’s bounty is won by months of daily toil and God’s providence in the rain and sun.  When harvest comes it is truly a time of thanksgiving.

Thus I think of those days these Thanksgiving holiday as I’ve spent them with long ago friends who share a common experience and view of life.  Our lives since have been molded by the children we were then.  And we are thankful, still.

However, it was total magnanimity on my part to keep in the good graces of my younger sister, Laura, who has been captured by its spell. We just went to engage in a little "sisterly"bonding.

By the way – I had a humongous, or whatever they call their biggest size, iced coffee with skim milk, thank you, and Equal, and it was very good. I have, thus far, resisted any temptations of that tenor closer to home, even with the advent of yet a second Starbucks in our fair city, though.

Back to popcorn.

Brief History:

Again, I go to "Fireworks Popcorn," the source of our more expeditious popcorn moments, for authority. I quote:

Many scientists believe that popcorn is the oldest of the five types of corn (sweet corn, field corn, Indian corn, pod cord, popcorn). Archeologists believe cultivation of popcorn dates back 5,000 years. Research indicates North and South American Indians were popping popcorn over 2,000 years ago! Columbus reported in 1492 seeing West Indies Natives wearing popcorn corsages. Native Americans first introduced popcorn to American colonists at the first Thanksgiving Feast when they brought deerskin gifts filled with popped popcorn. The first fully automated popcorn popper was publicly introduced in 1893 at the World’s Fair in Chicago.

 Enough said on that!

Preparation:

This is a crucial component in achieving the ultimate delight that popcorn has to offer and it took us several years of trial and error to finally arrive, but was well worth the wait. And, yes, we did eat most of the rejects along the way, wanting to be frugal as well as happy. Although, there were more than a few bowls full thrown away over time, I must admit, but that was mainly due to side issues, such as way too much salt or the slightest bit too much of a burn (although some singeing is always tasty). It’s a fine line.

We came to the conclusion that you absolutely cannot find a decent edible pre-packaged microwave popcorn. (Sorry "JD" to be so rough here since you take comfort in your " ACT II 94% fat free kettle korn," Weight Watchers approved or not.)

Ranking close behind, these days, in popcorn’s cellar is what used to be "good ol’"theater popcorn, which has gone the way of "good ol’" movies of a given genre to be displaced by machines off premises sending over stale bagged popcorn, popped who knows when, and teeny boppers who believe salt is the second main ingredient, not a condiment to be sprinkled lightly, emphasis on the "lightly." (Which will be discussed further below.)

Of course, the reason for the heavy salt is to get you to buy more of the horrid fountain mud that disguises itself as a potable soft drink. That, plus the price of all of the above, immediately elminate them from further consideration.

So, where does that leave us, she ponders rhetorically?

Well, you can always go back to the original "version" of popped corn and pop the entire corn cob (with kernels still on it, of course) in a metal basket (with holes in the lid for escaping hot air) over an open fire.

That is actually an excellent method on occasion when a certain ambiance and nostalgia are required. But, certainly not practical at all. Especially here in hot, humid south Louisiana where the ambiance and nostalgia quickly evaporate upon reflection of what July’s bill for AC and natural gas would be to run the AC simultaneously with the fireplace, all the while sweltering away just for a few mouthfuls of historical significance (we both have American Indian blood in our heritage, but figure that the ancestral memories aren’t worth it).

Then, there is the heavy pan method, with lots of shaking and pondering (when the corn is popped just enough, without being overcooked or burned), over a hot stove, set on the highest temperature. That is still the primary method among diehards, but we moved past that method long ago in favor of a more reliable, easy method since we are now of more mature years in our popcorn odyssey.

Those alternatives do not exhaust the limit, however, and we stumbled upon the perfect popper and perfect method upon receiving the perfect popper gift one Christmas, the "formerly known as Orville Redenbacher, now known as Presto" Power Popper, which you use in the microwave oven. This invention has brought mankind and his popcorn forward in lightyears just when it seemed to be destined for destruction.

Well – let’s put that more mildly and say on the verge of anarchy over less than perfect popcorn in every household, world wide.

The above said invention is a thing to behold. So simple, yet so profound. Our first one lasted for quite a few years before darkening up with extended use without the luxury of repeated washings in the dishwasher (being advocates of the "old school").

You have to compare it to a well-seasoned, crusty, ancient cast iron skillet, which can never be replaced, should rarely be washed and is never to be thrown away, but handed down generation to generation (but, alas, that is another story, indeed).

We are now on our second one, which rarely sees the inside of a dishwasher so as to maintain it’s integrity as a perfect popcorn maker. It is basically a plastic bowl, by the way, with a plastic lid into which you insert in the bottom "Presto Power Cups," (not to plug Presto here, but that can’t be helped).

Each Power Cup (which has some sort of metal lining in it, by the way, similar to the bottom of the pre-packaged microwave variety), will last for three or four batches of delectible, delicious, alway perfect delight. The "Power Cups" come 10 to a package for $1.48 apiece (at Wal-Mart) and we try to always have at least 6 or 8 packages on hand, just for insurance and peace of mind.

The only thing you must add, besides a heaping (mind you "heaping") 1/3 cup of your favorite corn, even El Cheap-O, is 3 tablespoons of (pay attention now) canola oil.

There is a caveat to that (which you will be happy to learn, JD). If you are dieting, you may add less oil or skip the oil entirely and the product is just as good (well, nearly). Do, by all means, use only canola oil, though. That is essential.

You will have to test your microwave for time, but we set ours at 4 minutes on high, watch the kernels fluff up slowly and turn the switch off just as the last of the kernels is popping, sometimes so high that they lift the lid. Voila! The makings of a masterpiece is born.

Presentation:

By the time you’ve gotten this far, the main thing to remember is the "slight" salting of the popcorn once it is in the large bowl (or bowls, as the case may be, as with us), which is also a necessity. I mean, whoever heard of small, cereal sized bowls being used when it comes to popcorn. Heaven forbid!

If you can’t make enough for everyone to have a nice sized, fairly large bowl, you are in trouble and no amount of coaching here will help. Just don’t forget not to oversalt this precious commodity. That is a critical component, as well.

And, forget about the plethera of seasonings. I’m telling you, they’re not only superflous, but downright heretical.

The only other thing to introduce near the popcorn at this juncture is a once or twice a year, maybe, treat of real butter, delicately drizzled over the corn to the point that it is all flavored, but not slathered, in butter. Which is really not good for you, it’s understood, But, on certain occasions such as wedding anniversaries and birthdays it serves as a grand finale. (Of course, we are at a big disadvantage here as we married on my birthday several years ago, which eliminates one of the chances for such grand yearly occasions.)

In Conclusion:

Now that you know everything there is to know about popcorn and way more than that – (except the complete history, which we all now know is long and storied, trailing back some 5,000 years) – you are ready to fully engage in the ultimate gourmet food.

So, go pop some popcorn and enjoy!

And, P. S., If you have any criticisms of the above method of preparation and presentation or an arguably better ultimate gourmet food , please pass along your better ideas. We are always open to research on a deeper and more complex level (or simpler one, to be more exact) that will make our pursuit more meaningful and enjoyable.

At least, until we get the commercial popcorn popper Tom wants. Then, we may have to start all over again in hitting just the right note.

I was stupified when I typed in the words "gourmet coffee" at Yahoo and found there were 5,680,000 sites on it to look at. 5 1/2 million!!!

I figured it would take me forever and a day to find anything of import there, so typed in Starbucks to take a look at its site. What I found there was astounding, as well.

To start off, it’s so complicated that it takes several minutes of pondering to decide exactly which direction you need to go to even find the coffee "page" that describes specific coffees and their prices. You have to start by deciding between "caffeinated" or "decaffeinated." That was easy enough. If I’m going to drink coffee, its going to have caffeine in it, or what’s the point. (Although, since my open heart surgery, I’m supposed to be strictly staying away from caffeine, so don’t tell my doctors you’re reading this.)

Then, you have to narrow your search by "Origin" – Latin America, Africa Arabia, Asia Pacific or Blends; "Bean Preferences" – ground, pod or whole bean; and finally by "Conservation & Certified" – Fair Trade or Organic. After that you can sort alphabetically, if you’re so inclined.

I just wanted to know how much they all cost, but they didn’t have an ascending or descending price list. I was looking for the bargain basement prices, but found none.

Starbucks’ coffee ranged from $9.99 (okay – $10) a pound to $15.99 ($16).

Gevalia’s coffee was even more expensive. And, we’re not even talking here about coffee or espresso or whatever your favorite gourmet hot drink is by the cup. Which is where all the action is (admit it). We know what those can run you. A small fortune if you’ve got the Starbucks habit.

Well, here in our household, we engage in a different sort of gourmet food, being of sound mind and limited means. Tom doesn’t drink coffee at all, anyway, and I found out just the other night on ABC’s 20/20 from a blind taste test they conducted using six brands of coffee from very expensive to cheap, including instant coffee, that Sam’s Club’s brand fared about the best, so that’s great by me. Besides, I figure we can indulge in our chosen gourmet food for about a year for what one week’s worth of Starbucks cravings for latte will cost you.

No – we happen to be addicted to the ultimate gourmet food there is (which I have previously alluded to). We both love great popcorn.

You already know Tom loves popcorn from growing up in movie theaters. (See "Living at the Movies" from last Monday.) I inherited my "popcorn gene" from my dad and through his lineage, because my mom sure doesn’t have it. Unless, of course, it skipped a generation there or something, which is a noteworthy possibility.

When my dad was a kid he worked at the little movie theater in Abernathy, Texas where he became known as "The Popcorn Kid." His mother would make popcorn by the washtub full for he and his two brothers and all their friends, too.

And we have a lot of the gourmet stuff in our house. I counted 17 different kinds last week in all colors, flavors, textures and sizes.

We have 12 kinds of "Fireworks Popcorn," including:

1. Autumn Blaze (it’s fall multi-colors with "small, crunchy flakes")

2. Orchard Blossom (it’s a gorgeous amethyst pink color with a "fluffy and sweet flavor")

3. High Mountain Midnight (deep purple with "robust, wild flavor")

4. Old Hickory (deep brown and "wild and nutty")

5. Starshell Red (red, of course, with "crunchy, rich flavor")

6. Blue Heron (blue with "crunchy, wild flavor")

7. Black Hills (which is deep reddish black)

8. Savannah Gold (one of Tom’s favorites, which is "smooth" with a "sweet flavor")

9. Baby White (which is small, sort of rice like kernels)

10. Wisconsin White Birch ("light, crispy texture")

11. Red River Valley (a deeper red than "Starshell Red" with "uncommon smooth flavor")
and, finally,

12. Flag Day Popcorn (yes – red,white & blue), which is the "Official Popcorn of Flag Day" with the history of Flag Day given on the back of the bottle.

Fireworks Popcorn sells their varieties in sizes ranging from 8 oz. (1/2 lb.) to 25 lb. bags of each variety for $25, which is a real steal, if you compare it with gourmet coffee. We haven’t quite graduated to the 25 lb. bags, yet, but Tom did bring me home a huge plastic commercial sized tub of about 30 lb. of yellow popcorn from Sam’s a few years ago (I kid you not!) that took us a while to get through, let me tell you!

So far, we’ve been buying the case of 12 1 lb. (well, 15 oz.) bottles of the popcorn for $26.60 (you get a break on the $2.49 apiece price).

The first time we ordered Fireworks’ popcorn off the internet, Tom started with 12 4 lb. bottles for $6.50 apiece because it was such a good deal until he added up the total, plus shipping and handling (on 48 lbs. of popcorn, mind you!!). So, he scaled back to the 15 oz. bottles.

That was bad enough, although at the price of popcorn it’s all relative, I suppose.

We have three kinds of "Settlers’ Popcorn".

1. Settlers’ Sedona Red ("A dark, rich and red kernel known for its refined taste and airy textures. It has a dryer taste.")

2. Settlers’ Harvest Gold (Creamy, chewy texture and mellow flavor. Sweet flavored corn that is so sweet, it’s like you have buttered it.")

3. Settlers’ Blue Moon (This variety of blue corn pops up larger than most blues and features a wild, robust flavor, with a creamy texture.")

Settlers’ sells for $1.99 for 15 oz. bottles, but someone gave us ours.

In addition to those 15 varieties, we have plain ol’ cheap yellow popcorn in a big bag from the grocery store along with a bag of black popcorn from the grocery store full of small kernels popping up small with a crunchy, nutty flavor.

Of course, we haven’t even gotten into the interesting history of popcorn or how to perfectly pop your prized varieties of gourmet popcorn, but time and space don’t allow here and now, so that will have to wait for another day. Perhaps the next blog entry would be a good place to go into the detailed preparation and perfect presentation of this delightful, yet inexpensive gourmet food.

After all, you know how important preparation and presentation are to gourmet cooks, and the history of the food they’re working with.

Any popcorn lovers out there (or popcorn haters)? I’m sure you’ll chime in when it comes to preparation and presentation.

But, either way, you have to admire the commitment and dedication here among the believers.