Posted on 01/19/2024 8:24:10 AM PST by Red Badger
NATIONAL POPCORN DAY
On January 19th, National Popcorn Day pops onto the scene with a crunch we all love to enjoy! The annual celebration recognizes a treat that satisfies munchies, day or night.
#NationalPopcornDay
This time-honored snack can be sweet or savory, caramelized, buttered or plain, molded into a candied ball, or tossed with nuts and chocolate. However it is enjoyed, enjoy it on National Popcorn Day, January 19th.
The word "corn" in Old English meant "grain" or, more specifically, the most prominent grain grown in a region. When Native Americans introduce their most common grain, maize, to early Europeans, they aptly applied the word "corn."
As early as the 16th century, the Aztecs used popcorn in headdresses worn during ceremonies honoring Tlaloc, their god of maize and fertility. Early Spanish explorers were fascinated by the corn that burst into what looked like a white flower.
Popcorn started becoming popular in the United States in the middle 1800s. It wasn't until Charles Cretors, a candy-store owner, developed a machine for popping corn with steam that the tasty treat became more abundantly poppable. By 1900 he had horse-drawn popcorn wagons going through the streets of Chicago.
At about the same time, Louise Ruckheim added peanuts and molasses to popcorn to bring Cracker Jack to the world. Then in 1908, the national anthem of baseball was born. Jack Norworth and Albert Von Tilzer wrote Take Me out to the Ballgame. From that point onward, popcorn, specifically Cracker Jack, became forever married to the game.
At the Movies
Another romance connected to popcorn may have had a slow start but eventually took off. Today, who can imagine going to the movies without getting a box of buttered popcorn? While popcorn was an economical choice for snack food, the expense of installing a machine and adequately venting the building didn't seem worth the effort. If it weren't for Glen W. Dickson, we would be purchasing our popcorn from a vendor on the street before taking in the show. Dickson put in the effort and expense of placing machines inside his theaters. After realizing how quickly he recouped his costs, other theater owners followed suit.
The microwave oven spurred the next big advancement for popcorn. With the invention of the microwave, a whole new market opened for the snack food. Magnetrons, a technology produced by Raytheon Manufacturing Corporation for the military during World War II, were later used to develop microwave ovens. Percy Spencer was the man who made it happen. He used popcorn in his initial experiments during the microwave's development.
Today, Americans consume 13 billion quarts of popcorn a year, more than any other country in the world. A majority of the popcorn produced in the world is grown in the United States. Nebraska leads the corn belt in popcorn production.
HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL POPCORN DAY
National Day Calendar began on National Popcorn Day in 2013. Pop your favorite popcorn and share a bowl with a friend. Please take a photo and share it on social media using #NationalPopcornDay.
Educators and families, visit the National Day Calendar Classroom for projects and ideas to help you Celebrate Every Day with your students.
Celebrate National Popcorn Day by reading about the happenings in the Kansas City area in the Celebration Spotlight with Priscilla Subramaniyam.
NATIONAL POPCORN DAY HISTORY
The a-maizing origins of this pop-ular day is mysteriously amiss. However, we have been celebrating the day since at least 1988.
Popcorn FAQ
Q. What are the unpopped kernels called?
A. Unpopped kernels of popcorn are called either spinsters or old maids.
Q. Which state produces the most popcorn?
A. Nebraska is the top popcorn producer in the United States. Also known as the Cornhusker State, although it's third in overall corn production.
Q. Are there different types of popcorn?
A. Yes. Most of the popcorn we consume is either a Butterfly (also known as snowflake) or Mushroom popcorn. Butterfly popcorn produces a fluffy, winged kernel while Mushroom popcorn produces a denser more compact kernel. While both are delicious for snacking, Mushroom popcorn holds up better to caramel, cheese, and other coatings.
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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY:
Edgar Allan Poe is born 1809
On this day in 1809, poet, author and literary critic Edgar Allan Poe is born in Boston, Massachusetts.
By the time he was three years old, both of Poe’s parents had died, leaving him in the care of his godfather, John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant. After attending school in England, Poe entered the University of Virginia (UVA) in 1826. After fighting with Allan over his heavy gambling debts, he was forced to leave UVA after only eight months. Poe then served two years in the U.S. Army and won an appointment to West Point. After another falling-out, Allan cut him off completely and he got himself dismissed from the academy for rules infractions.
Dark, handsome and brooding, Poe had published three works of poetry by that time, none of which had received much attention. In 1836, while working as an editor at the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond, Virginia, Poe married his 13-year-old cousin, Virginia Clemm. He also completed his first full-length work of fiction, Arthur Gordon Pym, published in 1838. Poe lost his job at the Messenger due to his heavy drinking, and the couple moved to Philadelphia, where Poe worked as an editor at Burton’s Gentleman’s Magazine and Graham’s Magazine. He became known for his direct and incisive criticism, as well as for dark horror stories like “The Fall of the House of Usher” and “The Tell-Tale Heart.” Also around this time, Poe began writing mystery stories, including “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Purloined Letter”–works that would earn him a reputation as the father of the modern detective story.
In 1844, the Poes moved to New York City. He scored a spectacular success the following year with his poem “The Raven.” While Poe was working to launch The Broadway Journal–which soon failed–his wife Virginia fell ill and died of tuberculosis in early 1847. His wife’s death drove Poe even deeper into alcoholism and drug abuse. After becoming involved with several women, Poe returned to Richmond in 1849 and got engaged to an old flame. Before the wedding, however, Poe died suddenly. Though circumstances are somewhat unclear, it appeared he began drinking at a party in Baltimore and disappeared, only to be found incoherent in a gutter three days later. Taken to the hospital, he died on October 7, 1849, at age 40.
FACT CHECK We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! ALSO ON THIS DAY 1764 AMERICAN REVOLUTION John Wilkes expelled from Parliament The British Parliament expels John Wilkes for his pornographic writings. Wilkes’ name became a byword for Parliamentary oppression both in Britain and in Britain’s North American colonies.
2007 AUTOMOTIVE First McDonald’s drive-through opens in Beijing On this day in 2007, Beijing, China, the capital city of the planet's most populous nation, gets its first drive-through McDonald's restaurant.
1862 CIVIL WAR Battle of Logan’s Crossroads Union General George Thomas defeats Confederates commanded by George Crittenden in southern Kentucky. The battle, also called Mill Springs or Beech Grove, secured Union control of the region and resulted in the death of Confederate General Felix…
1807 CIVIL WAR Robert E. Lee born Confederate General Robert Edward Lee is born in Westmoreland County, Virginia. Lee commanded the Army of Northern Virginia during most of the Civil War and his brilliant battlefield leadership earned him a reputation as one of the greatest…
1950 COLD WAR Communist China recognizes North Vietnam The People's Republic of China bestows diplomatic recognition upon the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Communist China's official recognition of Ho Chi Minh's communist regime resulted in much needed financial and military assistance in Ho's…
1999 CRIME Man charged in California cyberstalking case A mere three weeks after California passed a law against cyberstalking, Gary Dellapenta is charged with using the Internet to solicit the rape of a woman who had rejected his advances.
1883 DISASTER Fog leads to deadly collision in North Sea Heavy fog in the North Sea causes the collision of two steamers and the death of 357 people on this day in 1883. The Cimbria was a 330-foot, 3,000-ton steamship built in 1867 and operated by the Hamburg-Amerika Line.
1983 GENERAL INTEREST Butcher of Lyons arrested in Bolivia Klaus Barbie, the Nazi Gestapo chief of Lyons, France, during the German occupation, is arrested in Bolivia for his crimes against humanity four decades earlier.
1966 GENERAL INTEREST Indira Gandhi becomes Indian prime minister Following the death of Indian Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi becomes head of the Congress Party and thus prime minister of India.
1840 GENERAL INTEREST Wilkes claims portion of Antarctica for U.S. During an exploring expedition, Captain Charles Wilkes sights the coast of eastern Antarctica and claims it for the United States. Wilkes' group had set out in 1838, sailing around South America to the South Pacific and then to Antarctica, where…
1993 HOLLYWOOD Production begins on Toy Story On this day in 1993, production begins on Toy Story, the first full-length feature film created by the pioneering Pixar Animation Studios. Originally a branch of the filmmaker George Lucas’s visual effects company, Industrial Light and Magic…
1921 LITERARY Patricia Highsmith is born On this day, crime novelist Patricia Highsmith is born in Forth Worth, Texas. Highsmith, who wrote some 20 novels and seven short story collections, examined the darkest sides of human nature and frequently portrayed a world chillingly free of…
1993 MUSIC Fleetwood Mac reunite to play “Don’t Stop” at Bill Clinton’s first Inaugural gala On this day in 1993, the band Fleetwood Mac reunites to perform at the recently elected U.S. President Bill Clinton’s first inaugural gala.Fleetwood Mac had faced much intra-band squabbling since their 1970s heyday, why they released one of the…
1847 OLD WEST Mexican rebels kill Charles Bent Angered by the abusive behavior of American soldiers occupying the city, Mexicans in Taos strike back by murdering the American-born New Mexican governor Charles Bent.
1977 PRESIDENTIAL Ford pardons Tokyo Rose On this day in 1977, President Gerald R. Ford pardons "Tokyo Rose." Although the nickname originally referred to several Japanese women who broadcast Axis propaganda over the radio to Allied troops during World War II, it eventually became…
1974 SPORTS Notre Dame beats UCLA to end 88-game winning streak On January 19, 1974, the University of Notre Dame men’s basketball team defeats the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) 71-70, in South Bend, Indiana, snapping UCLA’s record-setting 88-game winning streak.
1961 VIETNAM WAR Eisenhower cautions successor about Laos Outgoing President Dwight D. Eisenhower cautions incoming President John F. Kennedy that Laos is "the key to the entire area of Southeast Asia," and might even require the direct intervention of U.
1968 VIETNAM WAR Operation McLain is launched "Sky Soldiers" from the 173rd Airborne Brigade begin Operation McLain with a reconnaissance-in-force operation in the Central Highlands. The purpose of this operation was to find and destroy the communist base camps in the area in order to…
1915 WORLD WAR I First air raid on Britain During World War I, Britain suffers its first casualties from an air attack when two German zeppelins drop bombs on Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn on the eastern coast of England.
1941 WORLD WAR II British attack Italians in Africa On this day, British forces in East Africa, acting on information obtained by breaking the Italians' coded messages, invade Italian-occupied Eritrea-a solid step towards victory in Africa.
ALSO ON THIS DAY
1809 EDGAR ALLAN POE IS BORN
AMERICAN REVOLUTION 1764 JOHN WILKES EXPELLED FROM PARLIAMENT
AUTOMOTIVE 2007 FIRST MCDONALD’S DRIVE-THROUGH OPENS IN BEIJING
CIVIL WAR 1862 BATTLE OF LOGAN’S CROSSROADS
1807 ROBERT E. LEE BORN
COLD WAR 1950 COMMUNIST CHINA RECOGNIZES NORTH VIETNAM
CRIME 1999 MAN CHARGED IN CALIFORNIA CYBERSTALKING CASE
DISASTER 1883 FOG LEADS TO DEADLY COLLISION IN NORTH SEA
GENERAL INTEREST 1983 BUTCHER OF LYONS ARRESTED IN BOLIVIA
1966 INDIRA GANDHI BECOMES INDIAN PRIME MINISTER
1840 WILKES CLAIMS PORTION OF ANTARCTICA FOR U.S. HOLLYWOOD
1993 PRODUCTION BEGINS ON TOY STORY
LITERARY 1921 PATRICIA HIGHSMITH IS BORN
MUSIC 1993 FLEETWOOD MAC REUNITE TO PLAY “DON’T STOP” AT BILL CLINTON’S FIRST INAUGURAL GALA
OLD WEST 1847 MEXICAN REBELS KILL CHARLES BENT
PRESIDENTIAL 1977 FORD PARDONS TOKYO ROSE
SPORTS 1974 NOTRE DAME BEATS UCLA TO END 88-GAME WINNING STREAK
VIETNAM WAR 1961 EISENHOWER CAUTIONS SUCCESSOR ABOUT LAOS
1968 OPERATION MCLAIN IS LAUNCHED
WORLD WAR I 1915 FIRST AIR RAID ON BRITAIN
WORLD WAR II 1941 BRITISH ATTACK ITALIANS IN AFRICA
There’s a Q-drop for that!
Haven’t had popcorn in years....I buy the Carmel Corn occasionally............ummmmmmm good.
By the way, to heal sore gums and fix pocketing, I stumbled on the way to treat it. Using a Waterpic machine add 1.5 cups of water, 1 cap of bleach from the half gallon size jug, and a cap of the Arm & Hammer tarter control for dogs drinking water. Flush the debris and germs away carefully. This will possibly negate the reason for getting the semi-annual teeth cleaning when done twice a day.
I have had dinner with the Weaver family a few times.
Still look forward to the popcorn they send me every Christmas.
I seem to remember reading that the Indians, oops!, Native Americans, brought popcorn to the First Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims..................
Homemade Caramel Corn
Crunchy sweet delicious caramel corn, great to serve for any occasion.
Ingredients 14 cups popped popcorn (a scant 1/2 c kernels gets about 14 cups, depending on the brand and type of kernels) Table salt 1 cup brown sugar (can use light and dark) 1/2 cup ea butter, light corn syrup 1/4 tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp vanilla 1/2 tsp b/soda
Instructions Preheat oven to 225F. Place popped corn in sprayed large roaster. Salt the popcorn.
CARAMEL btb butter, br/sugars, corn syrup, and cream of tartar, stir constantly.
Let boil 5 min. on med without stirring. Offheat, stir in vanilla and baking soda.
FINAL Pour caramel over popcorn; stir to coat. Bake an hour. Stir every 15 min
to prevent burning. Stir well at the end. Remove to cool completely on parchment.
Store in Ziploc bags or sealed containers. Yum!!
When is National Corn Pop Day?
SEPTEMBER 31....................
My dog and I love Orivil’s white pop corn and I pop it myself in a cast iron pan I’ve had since a kid
A very easy recipe for this delicious treat.
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