The night before we left on our Tour de PA, I made a bowl of sweet and spicy popcorn, a late-night snack for my loverman and me. The recipe called for cayenne, Demerara sugar, and fresh rosemary, the last of which I had none, but even so, the popcorn was mighty impressive without it—salty, crunchy sweet, and lip-burning hot. It bit my tongue and branded itself into my head.
I didn’t know that at the time, of course, but it soon became apparent because I couldn’t stop thinking about it, really actually thinking about it. No matter what crazy fun was going on around me—twelve kids and two dogs zipping around the sofas at one house, the uncles and cousins and brothers belting out folksy music at deafeningly harmonious levels at another house, car rides with the cranky, sniveling kids between houses—no matter what glorious chaos was going on, when an image of that popcorn, all buttery and flecked with cayenne and Demerara sugar (oh my stars!), slipped into my mind, my eyes glazed over as I tossed the image about my brain, relishing every minute of my savory daydream. When you get home, I’d tell myself, you can make a big bowl of popcorn and eat it all. It gave me something to live for.
Not that I wasn’t already living it up amongst our kindly kin, because I was, really and truly. We were treated like kings and queens, sleeping on the best air mattresses and feasting on all kinds of delectable goodies, from enchiladas and ham to hummus and chocolates to omelets and egg salad and mountains of fresh fruit. And baked French toast with hot blueberry sauce and cranberry relish and sweet-and-sour chicken and fruit salad and creamy tomato soup and tea ring. All you dear ones out there? If you thought I was acting a little spacey while I was at your house, now you know. It was the popcorn.
At one point in all the hoopla, when I was sitting around the impossibly long dinning table at my Aunt Valerie’s, sipping coffee and sampling all of my cousin Zoe’s pies, I happened to mention to Zoe about my latest food crush, which turned out to be pretty smart of me because she immediately said, “Oh my goodness gracious, I have loads of rosemary at home! You want me to bring you some when I come back over for supper?”
Um … yes? Absolutely and positively, YES! Please.
And that’s just what she did. When she blew in the door that evening, she was carrying, along with the big baby on one hip and the little baby on the other hip (maybe I’m not remembering exactly right—her husband probably had one of the babies), several generous sprigs of rosemary, the pungent stems wrapped in dampened newspaper and nestled in a plastic bag.
When we got home Sunday night, and as soon as we started the fire, unpacked, and got the kids tucked into bed, I scurried out to the kitchen to make my popcorn supper. I figure that it’s pretty darn close to a well-balanced meal that covers all the major food groups, what with the corn (carbohydrate), butter (protein), and cayenne and rosemary (vegetable).
The popcorn with the rosemary? Complete deliciousness. Mark my words. Mr. Handsome even said that of the two ways I had made it so far, he preferred it with the rosemary. And he’s not an herby kind of guy. Mark his words.
I made it again yesterday afternoon, for photography purposes and to satisfy the craving that won’t quit. The kids tried it, fussed about the heat, and then kept coming back for more, thus proving that it really does have addictive properties.
Consider that fair warning. I am hitherto and forthwith absolved of any and all consequences that may occur upon the making of this popcorn, such as visions, obsessions, and tingly lips.
Sweet and Spicy Popcorn
Adapted from Tara’s blog Seven Spoons
The original recipe called for more cayenne, an entire half teaspoon. I dialed it back to a generous fourth teaspoon, but for you heat-loving people, feel free to crank it back up to full, lip-blistering power. Tara also said to sprinkle it with red pepper flakes, something I haven’t done yet, but you may want to give that a shot, too.
Also, I made my popcorn in the air popper—stove top and microwave popcorn may not need quite so much butter. Then again, depending on your relationship with butter, you may want even more.
If you try other variations on this theme, please let me know. I’m kind of ga-ga over the stuff.
½ cup unpopped popcorn, popped
2-3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons Demerara sugar
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
½ teaspoon salt
1/4-1/3 teaspoon cayenne pepper
In a small bowl, mix together the sugar, rosemary, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Drizzle the butter over the hot, freshly popped popcorn, tossing frequently. Sprinkle the spices over the popcorn and toss another time. Promptly devour.
About One Year Ago: In which I use a lot of words to make a fake confession.
13 Comments
Margo
how did I MISS this recipe??! I adore rosemary. I think it's my favorite herb. If Z can grow it, so can I.
I got a recipe from Food in Jars for cashews with this very mixture of flavors. I made jars for the men on my Christmas gift list last year and they were well-received. And do you recall that I make scones with rosemary and raisins? They're to die for. http://thriftathome.blogspot.com/2012/06/rosemary-raisin-scones.html
You Can Call Me Jane
We finally made this popcorn the other weekend and it is incredible. We've been making it a couple times a week since. We use regular sugar and have to leave out the sage because we don't have any. It's still delicious. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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Jennifer Jo
Okay, okay. So I'm re-e-eally pushing it to count butter as a protein. I just wanted to make the point that there IS a little protein in butter. But yes, it IS a fat. A fatfatfat FAT.
I saw that nut recipe and am interested. I've made two different spiced nut recipes lately and both have flopped, so please try it and tell me how it is. I need a good one.
Anonymous
Heh heh. I can't help noting that 100 grams of butter equals approximately 6 tablespoons, therefore your recipe contains very nearly one half gram of protein from butter. You might better look to the corn for your recommended daily allowance of protein. (It contains 12 grams per 100.)
I just went out and picked me a few sprigs of rosemary from my frozen garden. That recipe is worth daydreaming about, and I've been all day! I'm trying it with maple sugar tonight and I'll let you know.
Have you checked out the original spiced nut recipe linked in the notes on Seven Spoons? I can't stop thinking about it either, and I just got several pounds of almonds today…
Kris
Jennifer Jo
Mountaineer? Oh, Mountaine-e-er! 100 grams of butter contain 1 gram of protein. Just thought you might like to know…
It's me ...Mavis
I'm not sure which direction to go with today's comment…
1)Lover Man? Oh pleazzzze… I don't visit this blog to hear wild and crazy stories about you and YOUR LOVERMAN…
2)Spicy popcorn…since when is popcorn suppose to be spicy?… but I'll give it a try anyway…After all…I'll try anything once…
3)I want to see more pictures of Aunt Valerie's house.
Zoë
You're so very welcome, JJ.
Jennifer Jo
Mountaineer, oh come on! Don't go and burst my bubble. That's so MEAN.
Mountaineer
Butter IS fat; zero protein. (Add a side dish of eggs to the popcorn for a balanced meal!)
You Can Call Me Jane
Wow. I never thought of popcorn being the kind of food one would actually day dream about, but if you say so, it must be that good.
Also, I love the photograph of everyone around the long table and the list of food you all had to eat sounds amazing. I guess you have to be related to get invited to your shindigs, huh?
Mama Pea
Well, now this is something I have GOT to try. I'm having a little trouble wrapping my imaginary mind around the rosemary part but since our whole foods co-op does carry little packages of fresh herbs, I'm gonna give it a go.
Besides all the other good stuff cayenne pepper gives us, it's a great antioxidant so why not, I say! Red, swollen lips . . . here we come!
tara
Oh, you're my kind of lady. So happy to hear that you enjoyed the recipe so much, and I feel happy to have the company as I've also been making it with surprising regularity this holiday.
I've added your note about the cayenne to my original as I should have taken into account our love of excessive spice. Thanks so much for all
the kindness.
(ps. That baked French toast sounds all kinds of delicious.)