Stovetop popcorn

Like many popcorn lovers seduced by the ease and low-fat promises of microwave popcorn, I spent years popping corn in a paper bag. But the artificial butter flavor of packaged microwave popcorn never truly satisfied. And popping corn in my own lunch bags produced tough, dry popcorn that wasn't entirely redeemed by the butter I drizzled on top.

After my fling with microwave popcorn, I returned to doing it the old-fashioned way. My default method for popping corn was pretty simple: Put a little oil in a pot, add a few kernels, heat over high, and when the kernels popped add the rest and wait for them to push the lid toward the ceiling. Admittedly, it was frustrating to find a tablespoon of stubborn unpopped kernels at the bottom of the pot. And scrubbing the burned bits away was a pain.

Looking around for ways to solve these problems, I discovered a few tips for more productive popping and less mess. First, I realized that in search of a low-fat snack, I had been skimping on the oil. Popcorn popped on top of the stove reaps the flavor benefit of the oil it is popped in. Adding a full two tablespoons of oil for every 1/4 cup of popcorn means better-tasting popcorn with less burning. When I was really watching calories, I found that transferring the just-popped corn to a clean, large brown paper bag and then shaking it encouraged the bag to soak up some of the oil without sacrificing flavor. Shaking the pan as the corn popped also helped prevent scorching.

The best way to avoid dreaded "old maids" is to heat the corn properly. If heated too quickly, the kernels will crack open but fail to pop fully. If heated too slowly, they will release their moisture with a hiss, rather than a pop. To heat my kernels at just the right rate, I tried a trick lots of people remember from the old Jiffy Pop box. Once my test kernels had popped, I quickly poured my popcorn into the pot, covered it and let it stand for 30 seconds before moving it back onto the hot burner. This got the kernels hot but not too hot, so when they popped they achieved their maximum volume. During popping, I cracked the lid open enough to release steam (this prevents soggy popcorn), but not enough so that the kernels flew all over the kitchen. After I transferred the popcorn to a large bowl, I added melted butter and salt to taste.

Just as important as the cooking method is the freshness of the popcorn itself. Popcorn pops when the water molecules trapped inside the tough shell expand as they heat. The fresher the popcorn, the more moisture it retains, and the fluffier the result. There's little difference between premium and supermarket brands. The important thing is to buy your popping corn at a market with a lot of turnover, so you know it hasn't been sitting on the shelves and drying out for months or years. Store your popcorn in an airtight container or tightly sealed jar to help it retain its moisture. Keep it in a cool, dry place, but don't refrigerate or freeze it. At lower temperatures, the kernels will lose moisture more quickly.

RECIPE

MAPLE AND SPICED POPCORN WITH WALNUTS

1/4 cup canola or peanut oil

1/4 cup popcorn

1 cup walnut pieces, toasted

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

11/2 cups pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon maple extract (optional)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil a rubber spatula.

2. Heat oil and 2 or 3 popcorn kernels in a large, heavy saucepan with cover over high heat. When kernels pop, add the remaining popcorn, re-cover, and remove pot from heat for 30 seconds.

3. Return to heat, crack lid open just a little to release steam, and cook, shaking pan every once in a while, until popping slows. Transfer popcorn to the prepared baking sheet to cool (you'll have about 8 cups). Stir in walnuts.

4. Melt butter in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add syrup and salt and bring to a boil. Cook without stirring until candy thermometer registers 300 degrees, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in optional maple extract, cinnamon and ginger, and pour over popcorn mixture, stirring with oiled spatula to coat. Cool completely and break into bite-size pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Makes about 9 cups.