19th January: Popcorn Day

On January 19th, 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.

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 Popcorn Day, January 19th.

one must understand the history of Popcorn. The original corn was derived from a small grass with kernels not much different than that of wheat. Careful selection and generations of breeding have resulted in what we think of today as the corn plant. When settlers came to the New World from the Old Country, they discovered this amazing crop and that it had been in use for quite some time.

Sometime along the line (possibly even thousands of years ago!), it was realized that certain corn kernels, when subjected to heat, will pop and reveal their soft fluffy endosperm in a cloud around their shell. Before long it was discovered to be a light and delicious treat, and cultivation led to the popcorn we have today.