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tripdownmemorylane remembers...I'd never had kettle corn until my 20's. Silver Dollar City in Branson. It was fresh out of the kettle, ... More »
Posted on 04/16/08
PHOTOS:
Though it’s been a fairground and carnival tradition for most of the past century, Kettle Corn’s origins go all the way back to the thirteen colonies. As America expanded westward, it was common to find that at the end of a long day, pioneers would take rendered fat, heat it in a large cast iron pot, throw in some popcorn along with whatever sweeteners happened to be around (such as molasses, honey or sugar,) and sprinkle in a little salt at the end of the process, creating what is now know as Kettle Corn. The crunchy concoction grew in popularity during the earlier parts of the 1800s, though with modernization came an eventual lack of interest in this old-style confection.
The flavor of kettle corn is lightly sweet and just a tad salty – nothing that would overwhelm the palate. Sure, this yin and yang of sweet and salty has been used with success in a number of popular culinary creations, in everything from McDonald’s “meals” to trail mix to Payday candy bars. Though in the eyes of many, never have they been as artistically combined as in a batch of properly made kettle corn. Some believe that great kettle corn comes from only the most enlightened masters of the tradition. Others, however, believe it’s best when simply made at home in the company of family and is a wonderful way to bring everyone together and bond a little.
Today, kettle corn popularity continues to expand. Commercial popcorn purveyors such as Orville Redenbacher, Act II, and Pop Secret have come up with their own versions of the traditional treat. It’s still more commonly found, however, at places such as fairgrounds and country-themed stores. In fact, a number of kettle corn specialists have popped up over the last couple of decades, bringing the kettle corn experience to the masses with a bit of style. That is, they dress up like the pioneers who originated the treat and recreate the age-old process, by cooking it slowly and with masterful perfection over a wood fire in the classic cast-iron pot.
It seems quite possible that if every history lesson ever taught had concluded with a warm batch of kettle corn for all to share, there would be a lot more people with a grasp of the subject. And if they could then figure out a way to incorporate kettle corn into the teaching of math and science, everyone might become a little smarter. Such is the amazing potential of kettle corn.
