Party Popcorn with Fried Capers and Dill
And yes, you can sprinkle Everything Bagel Seasoning on too.
Here’s a possibly unpopular opinion: Microwave popcorn is bogus. It promises convenience and speed, but making homemade popcorn on the stovetop takes virtually the same amount of time/effort, and tastes infinitely better. Like, no comparison better. (It is also free from the additives and lower-quality oils commonly found in microwave popcorn.)
My love of homemade popcorn goes way back to when my mom worked at our local township. She and her coworkers got into the habit of walking down the block to a health food store where they sold freshly popped popcorn in brown paper bags and topped it with Vege-Sal seasoning. Occasionally she brought home a bag, which I would inhale. It was fluffy, crunchy, umami-packed ambrosia.
She also made popcorn on the stovetop at home, which always felt a bit like magic. In recent years, I have introduced that same magic to Max and Bea. Our saucepan has a see-through glass lid, and they love watching the little golden kernels explode into fluff, ricocheting against the lid and sides of the pan, and making a delightful racket in the process. It’s snack time, a chemistry lesson, and entertainment in one!
Popcorn’s Jewish Connection
Is there anything that American Jews love better than finding out the lesser-known Jewish history behind a pop culture icon? Well, I’ve got a good one for you! If you have ever enjoyed popcorn in a movie theater, you have a mensch named Samuel M. Rubin to thank.
Rubin was in the concessions stand business and gained the nickname “Sam the Popcorn Man.” While he was probably not the first person to introduce the idea of popcorn and a picture show, he is credited with popularizing the use popcorn machines in movie theaters across New York City in the 1940s and 1950s. According to his New York Times obituary:
He had begun by popping the kernels in Long Island City and trucking the result to theaters, but quickly realized that the smell of popping corn would not exactly hurt sales.
Boy, was he right. Today, much in thanks to Rubin’s efforts, nearly half of American movie goers say they “almost always” eat popcorn when they head to the movie theater.
Popcorn Brings the Party
In addition to being a great movie snack, at-home nibble, (and occasionally dinner, when I’m left to my own devices!), homemade popcorn makes excellent party fare. So with Hanukkah and New Year’s on the horizon, I decided to spruce up my typical popcorn with some flavors from the Ashkenazi Jewish canon.
First up: a generous sprinkle of dried dill, which is truly a bowl of popcorn’s best friend. And to make things sparkle? I added some capers, which I quickly crisped up in oil so you get these crunchy little explosions of brine as you make your way through the bowl. Plop a bowl of this popcorn on your holiday appetizer table, and I have a feeling it will be gone in minutes!
This Party Popcorn with Fried Capers and Dill is incredibly simple to make once you know a couple of cardinal rules for stovetop popcorn. Enjoy it as is, or jazz things up further with one or more of the following: a drizzle of melted butter, a small handful of nutritional yeast or shredded parmesan cheese, a sprinkle of Everything But the Bagel Seasoning, or a few generous cracks of freshly ground black pepper. The bowl is your canvas!
Party Popcorn with Fried Capers and Dill
Serves 4 as a snack, or more as a party nosh
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