popcorn

One Saturday afternoon when taking the gent to the cinema to see a documentary on Philip Glass, I wondered if I should take something for us to eat. Inspired by my flatmate, I heated some oil in a saucepan (I would love to say 'heavy bottomed' as the cook books do, but mine are actually pretty dreadful) and added popcorn kernels. Or is that just 'corn'? Pre-popped popcorn, anyway. In the flush of genius that being in a hurry sometimes engenders, I used a pan with a glass lid.

I have never made pop corn by myself and have never had the benefit of a transparent lid through which to watch the process. I thoroughly recommend it.

I was rendered child-like with amazement that such a tiny, unyielding little seed should explode into such a delicate, perfectly rounded puff. Completely agog I watched them all. I had underestimated their might and added too many, so the lid was eventually pushed up on a sea of white mushroom-topped corn. I am not sure of the proper process here, but I melted butter in another pan, poured it over the corn, mixed it about with my hands and added liberal amounts of salt. It was rather good.