Fun Facts: Popcorn Style!

So where did originally popcorn come from?

In 1948, kernels of an early corn variety capable of being popped were found in an archaeological dig in a New Mexico rock shelter known as "Bat Cave."

This was widely reported as being the oldest ears of popcorn ever found.  Such reports often say they are dated to be 4000-5000 years old, or more.   The actual facts about the Bat Cave corn are less clear. While initial reports dated the corn to be 4000-5000 years old, in 1967 the same researchers revealed data from more specifically targeted dating: a sample consisting only of cobs was dated to be 1,752 years old, and a sample of cobs and nearby wood 2,249 years.

Even these dates have been called into question.  Michael S. Berry, after a study of the Bat Cave procedures, wrote it "was a poorly excavated site that can be interpreted nearly any way one pleases by juggling the data."

What is know is that in early times popcorn was prepared by using a bowl containing sand and placing the bowl over a fire, the sand heated the kernels and the popped popcorn rose to the top from under the sand.

Popcorn was very popular in the 1890s, until the Great Depression. 

As corn crops became more depleted during the Great Depression, nuts were consumed by many instead of corn.

What's more, during the Depression, popcorn was considered a luxury at 5-10 cents a bag.

But Popcorn was a way-out for some Depression era businessmen.  While some of the other businesses failed, the popcorn business thrived.  An example is "an Oklahoma banker" who went broke when his bank failed, bought a popcorn machine, and started a business in a small store near a theater.   After a couple of years, his popcorn business made enough money to buy back three of the farms he'd lost.

In the time of World War II, Americans ate three times more popcorn than they had before because of the sugar crop that was going overseas.  Less sugar meant more popcorn snacking.

Some years later, when street vendors started setting up outside movie theatres, they were not welcome, at least as far as the theater owners were concerned. They thought the vendors were a distraction.

But movie goers didn't agree. They went out on the sidewalk in droves to buy bags of hot popcorn before going back inside to see the movie.  Finally someone noticed.

Movie theatre owners have always had a keen eye for profits. So a few of the smarter ones asked the vendors to come inside and split whatever they made from their popcorn sales with the theatre. Of course it wasn't long until the theater owners realized they could set up their own popcorn popper and send the vendor packing... making popcorn the number 1 snack at theaters world-wide.

And who likes popcorn the best?  At least six localities (all in the United States ) claim to be the "Popcorn Capital of the World": Valparaiso, Indiana ; Van Buren, Indiana ; Marion, Ohio ; Ridgway, Illinois ; Schaller, Iowa ; and North Loup, Nebraska .   What's more... as the result of an elementary school project, popcorn became the official state snack food of Illinois.

So where does popcorn come from?  According to the USDA , most of the maize used for popcorn production is specifically planted for this purpose with the majority grown in Nebraska and Indiana, although the crop is  increasing area in Texas. 

So next time you reach for a handful of popcorn or kettle corn, impress your friends with your knowledge of these fun facts on this special fun food!