Herb of the Week - Popcorn!!

Today’s herb of the week is POPCORN --

Okay Popcorn is stretching it a bit, but today is National Popcorn Day and I thought instead of an herb of the week we could celebrate one of my favorite foods by talking about great recipes that you can use instead of salt to flavor popcorn.

Popcorn or 'popping corn,' is corn which expands from the kernel and puffs up when heated. Corn is able to pop because, unlike other grains, its kernels have a hard moisture-sealed hull and a dense starchy filling. This allows pressure to build inside the kernel until an explosive "pop" results. Some strains of corn are now cultivated specifically as popping corns.

Popcorn was first discovered thousands of years ago by Native Americans in the Southwest, United States. One of the oldest forms of corn, evidence of popcorn from 3600 B.C. was found in New Mexico.

The popularity Popcorn now enjoys is a result of two events in history.  During the Great Depression, popcorn was comparatively cheap at 5-10 cents a bag. Thus, while other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived and became a source of income for some struggling farmers. During World War II, sugar rations diminished candy production, causing Americans to eat three times more popcorn than they had before.

Where I am from, Illinois, Popcorn is the official snack food of the state and (although no the only town to claim this) Ridgeway, Illinois says it is the "Popcorn Capital of the World."

Popcorn is usually served salted or sweetened. In North America, it is traditionally served salted, although sweetened versions, such as caramel corn and kettle corn, are also commonly available.

In a health conscious America we are trying to enjoy the fiber-rich nature of Popcorn without the fattening additives, so we have turned to herbs to provide a bit of flavor without the calories of butter or sugar.

Here are a few blends for you to try.  If you want a great combo add a bit of parmesan cheese to any of these blends:

Garlic Infused Shaker

2 tablespoons basil

2 tablespoons Thyme

2 tablespoons Marjoram

2 tablespoons garlic powder

 
Blend together and shake onto hot popcorn.  It can be ground in small batches in a food processor for a finer shake.

Hot Shaker

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 tablespoons parsley

2 tablespoons cumin
1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon garlic powder
dash red pepper flakes

Blend together and shake onto hot popcorn.  It can be ground in small batches in a food processor for a finer shake.

Herby Shaker

1 tablespoon basil

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon parsley

1 tablespoon savory

1 tsp. sage

1 tsp onion powder

Blend together and shake onto hot popcorn.  It can be ground in small batches in a food processor for a finer shake.

And if making your own popcorn seasoning is not your thing, the Backyard Patch has a ready-made seasonings that are great on Popcorn, just click here to see a full description of our Salt Substitutes.