Caramel Popcorn: Big Bowl of Love

Once upon a time, I owned the Evel Knievel stunt cycle and an RV that converted into a ramp. During this fabled time, I took breaks from performing death-defying stunts to snack on popcorn balls and grape Kool-Aid, which were a ubiquitous snacks in the 1970's.  Since then popcorn balls have fallen out of favor.  I attribute this fall and the general decline of our civilization to the fact that most people don't pop popcorn on the stove.  Many of the world problems could be solved by standing around a kitchen stove, popping popcorn, talking, and laughing.

Even though the world won't join me around the stove, I'll be there listening to the pitter-patter, pop-pop of popcorn.  I'll be there making a caramel corn, a deconstructed version of the popcorn ball.

Caramel Popcorn
(From Chocolate and Confections at Home with the Culinary Institute of American)

Ingredients:

• 5 quarts of popped popcorn
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

I have a bowl bigger than my head, and I have a big head!

1. Place the popcorn in a large ovenproof bowl. Place in 350 degree oven.
2. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup,, water, and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir while cooking to 300 degrees. 
3. Remove the caramel from the heat and stir in the baking soda and salt. Mix well. 
4. Remove the popcorn from the oven. Pour the caramel over the popcorn while stirring with a wood spoon. Continue to mix until the caramel begins to stiffen too much to stir. 
5. Return the bowl to the oven for 10 minutes, remove, and stir the mixture again. Repeat until the popcorn is well coated with caramel. 
6. Add the remaining butter, stir gently to allow it to melt and to distribute it. Pour the caramel corn onto a clean counter top and separate the individual kernels before the harden.
7. Store in an airtight container at room temperature

may all your love be covered in caramel,
muddy