Friday, October 28, 2005

Pop popity pop-pop corn

I'm not sure if there is any smell worse in the kitchen then burnt popcorn. Not only does it smell so bad that skunks would run away, it's really hard to breath when the smoke is billowing forth as if the whole kitchen is afire.

So here's the story.

Here in Korea it's been a real trick finding popcorn. Growing up the stuff was a staple food in our house. It's still one of my most favorite snacks, what am I saying, meals. :-) Ok, not really, but close! Anywho, I have gone several months now without this little treasure from heaven and I finally found some again.

Now, the microwave stuff is everywhere but since I don't have a microwave here (I know, how can I live) it does me no good. I don't even have a popcorn popper. I've discovered that one does not need such a modern appliance to enjoy this most wonderful snack. All you need is a cooking pot and a well fitting lid. This I have and viola, say no more.

So, with one of my batches, I got a little carried away and put to many kernels in the pot. Thus, I ended up having several unpopped kernels. What to do you might say? No worries, I'll reuse them. After all, they're almost worth their weight in gold.

Many many years ago, back when I was a kid in 3rd grade, ok, not so many years ago :-P, makes my mom sound old and she wouldn't like that you know, our teacher made this stuff in class called parched popcorn. Wow! We all loved it. Many many many times I've tried to recall exactly how she did it but I cannot remember. So, what better popcorn to use for this experiment than my unpopped volunteers? :-) How nice of them really.

A few nights have gone by, and I'm ready to try this experiment. Into the frying pan go the little troopers (she had used a frying pan), add a little oil, a medium to low flame and I'm in business. Or so I thought. Guess what! Those overly anxious guys started popping and jumping, and well, going every where. Quickly I turned off the heat and scooped what was left into my popping machine.

With the lid securely in place, I went back to what I was doing, cleaning the bedroom/living room. Silly Ken. I often multi task and I do it quite well actually, but before I knew it, there was this terrible smell coming from my kitchen. I ran in there and turned of the heat but to to late. The silly little things had finished popping and then burned to a mushy black almost tar like ball that was just pumping out this horrific dark brown smoke that just sucked the air from my lungs. Then I took the lid off.

Oh, how nasty. My eyes water just thinking about it. I had to run from the kitchen, open all of my one window :-P and run back into the kitchen and open my door and kitchen window. This at least started to air things out. I quickly bagged this tar creature up and set it outside. Cleaning the lid and its accomplice was just about as smelly. What's in that stuff?! I'm beginning to think that popcorn is not such a healthy snack. (ya ya, i know that with the oil and salt used that it's not anyway, but i'm happy in my delusion so we'll leave it there)

Thus ends experiment number one. I shall not give up the quest though. I just need to do a little research that's all. Anyone out there know how to make parched popcorn? You would make the little kid in me very happy if you did. :-)

Speaking of which, my aunt Sharon has a great saying. "Inside of me is a thin person screaming to get out. I can usually shut her up with a few cookies though". :-P

much happy popping,

me

8 Comments:

At 11:49 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

:-) Thanks for the compliment. I'm glad you like it. I probably shouldn't say this, but at times I crack myself up too. :-)

Thank you so much there Al for the info. I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that before this blog you didn't know squat about parched corn. :-P None the less, I appreciate the info very much. Now I just have to find some parching corn. :-S Just one more thing for me to do when I come back home. :-) Maybe I'll bring some with me when I go back to Sarnia.

You know, Sarnia seems more like home to me now then sw MI does. I really miss you all up there.

me

 
At 8:43 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh ya, Darren, the popcorn bowl, I remember it well. I used it myself. Made good good poppetycorn.

Coal eh? hmmmm, yep, or should I say, shhhhuuuurrrrrr, wink wink.

 
At 2:04 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow....
I wish I had as much time as you guys all do to research these 'wonderful' topics! Maybe I can hire some of you to do my research projects that are driving up the coo-coo wall!

 
At 1:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah Sally, been there done that, bought the t-shirt, gave it to the Salvation Army. Thanks anyway. :-P

Vinegar, hmm, gonna have to remember that one. Please tell your flufy pillow I said thanks :-D (I don't know if you remember that comment or not.) Good advice.

I'll be coming back to Sarnia in mid February. Not sure on exact dates yet, but Lord willing that's the plan.

 
At 1:53 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I think Al's dad and mine went to the same school!

 
At 3:52 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ok, it's time for me to come clean. Yep, I'm guilty. What can I say! I tried but now it's time for the truth to come out.

Darren, I can never remember how to spell Sherry's name. Ahhhhhhh. The curse of the no spellum. As such I have tried to hide this fact behind humor. Yes, my mask is coming off.

I wrote to a very close friend of ours and asked her how Sherry spelled her name. There are a few names that have too many spellings and hers for me is one of them.

Lest it be thought that I am or have been dissing your wife, I thought I should come forth from the shadows of shame and plainly state what I really think.

All seriousness aside, the pillow comment still makes me laugh. :-D But!!! I have much respect for Sherry. I think she is a great partner for you and you for her. I really see her as a P 31 woman.) That's Proverbs 31 for those that don't know.) Honestly, when I think of her and all that she does in your family, I really believe that she is a living example.

You know, there are many women that I know that exemplify this passage as well. You men are really blessed. I'm sure your wives would agree. :-P lol

So to all you P 31 women out there, God Bless you very Much and may the men in your lives treasure you and fill your hearts with love. Please be patient with us, we are after all only men.

:-)

 
At 11:24 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sssshhhhhhhh! You're going to blow our cover! If they think we're not quite with it, it makes life a lot easier. If there's one thing I've learned from the older men in my life is the art of the ignore or should I say, selective listening skills.

Ok, in reality, it is a biological thing. Women are more global in their thinking, (both hemispheres of the brain) and when it comes to feelings and other such things, women as a whole are much more gifted than men. That's not to say that men can't or don't develop said abilities, but as a general rule, women have the advantage. Thus my comment.

Thank you for voicing your concerns. I actually thought about it before posting my comments, that someone might say what you said, but I took the risk.

Let's be honest. When it comes to the department of love, men as a whole really fall on their collective faces. I'm very happy to say that you however do not. :-) So, keeping my comment in context, men do fall a bit short.

I hope this clears things up a bit as to what I was saying. I don't think that men are stupid nor should they be degraded, but again, being honest, we do tend to be a bit goofy sometimes relationship wise. Does that make us wrong? No, I don't think so, it just requires some understanding.

Well, I'm going to stop here before I dig a hole to deep to crawl out of.

:-)

 
At 2:26 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

LOL, I love u guys. No, I didn't even catch the spelling rib poke. 8-P lol

I think we all are in agreement with the men giftings and women giftings. :-) That's pretty cool there Dare the way you let your wife have it. Very nifty idea. If I'm ever so blessed to have a wife partner I think I'll use it. Thanks.

Asking for a hug, good idea. The no subtleties idea would solve a lot of marital problems I think. The old classic, "Well if you don't know what's wrong I'm not going to tell you" thing to me as a guy is so absurd. But alas...

I was thinking about it all again this morning. I really am blessed to know so many P 31 women and E 6 men (Eph. 6). So many young people that I talk to have never seen a healthy relationship. In-fact, they don't believe that such a thing exists. Many many young people that I talk to say they are never getting married. They will just live with the person because marriage is so bad. Very very sad. I wonder where the get the idea that living together is any better than marriage (TV no doubt). When I tell them that I can name 10 couples off the top of my head that have great marriages they can't believe it. I also tell them that even these couples have their moments but that's all part of a healthy relationship. Growing and stretching don't you know.

So, Al and Dare, thank you both, as well as many many others of you out there, you know who you are I hope, for being a light for Jesus in your relationship with your partner otherwise known as your blessing. :-) I'm really blessed to see and know of so many good relationships. I've learned a great deal from all of you. Thanks.

me

 

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