Popcorn

by Patrick Evans-Hylton

Popcorn is the great American munchie, but too many of us know it simply as a predictable staple of the multiplex or the microwave. Popcorn serves up over 60 tantalizing recipes — both savory and sweet — to ensure that popcorn is never boring again. For tart and piquant tastes, there are Lemon-Pepper Popcorn or Classic Barbecue, or even Gorgonzola and Green Onion for something completely different. On the sweet side, the offerings include Hawaiian Luau Bars (featuring coconut and white chocolate), Popcorn S’mores, and Bananas Foster Mix (the popcorn version). Author Patrick Evans-Hylton also shows how to use popcorn as an ingredient in main course dishes such as Popcorn Shrimp and Poppin' Codfish, which use popcorn as a coating ingredient. Seafood fans can enjoy the unique variation on Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes. Gorgeous photographs throughout show the end result of the scrumptuous recipe. Popcorn's got a brand new bag!

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking

Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Kortney · Rating 3 out of 5]

For the Extreme Book Nerd Challenge I signed up for I have to read a book from 641 (cookbooks) so I selected this one...because it was short and popcorn is something I actually make fairly frequently. The neatest thing I learned was that you can make popcorn in the microwave in a paper bag...I'm sure on some level I realized this but I never stopped to think about it. I'm going to have to give that a shot. There were some good ideas for different toppings and flavors to add to popcorn. I thought some were a little extreme and a lot of the sweet flavors were way too involved. I do plan on trying some of the savory flavors (indian spice sounds interesting, triple garlic-roasted, fresh and powdered might be fun to try). But chances are, I'll default to the tried and true butter and salt.

[Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this from the library and liked it so much that I tracked down a copy on Amazon. Yay popcorn!

[Stephen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was distressing to learn that microwave popcorn could kill you, not by ingesting the savoury little puffs but by breathing the toxin used as a butter-flavouring agent. The makers of microwave popcorn quickly removed diacetyl, the cause of bronchiolitis obliterans or "popcorn lung," from their recipe. It is still far better to pop your own popcorn in a pan on the stove, or in a hot-air popcorn popper, or in a plain brown paper bag in the microwave without all the toxic sludge. But how to dress it up, to make it better, to create more interesting popcorn than the stuff that was probably knocked back by the Pilgrims at the first Thanksgiving? Along comes Patrick Evans-Hylton with a book about how to make popcorn more exciting in both its sweet and its savoury iterations. Some of his suggestions are as simple as a sprinkling of herbs and spices to render the snack Cajun or French Provincial or Hawaiian or East Indian or Mexican. Others are a bit more complex such as Gorgonzola and Green Onion popcorn. He also uses popcorn as an ingredient in place of breadcrumbs in crab cakes or as a breading on fish filets. On the sweet side, he offers such delights as Popcorn S'mores and his popcorny take on Bananas Foster. This brief text recites the obligatory history of popcorn, a few words on the physics which make it explode, and some brief recommendations on how to best pop it. Self popping also allows the popper to control salt, fat and cholesterol content, thereby reducing popcorn guilt.

[Lara]

It wouldn't be right of me to rate this book since I worked on it (I shot the photos), but I can tell you that the recipes I made to shoot the photos were really good. I particularly liked the Parm & Pepper and the Smoked Paprika recipes.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

much better than you'd think. seems silly, but there are heaps of great tips in here, like dousing the popcorn after it's popped in paper bags, laying out and roasting in the oven, etc. the recipes themselves are great. did not like the pesto one, so am giving a non-perfect store.