National Popcorn Day is celebrated annually in the United States on January 19th, so let’s take a look at this popular snack. Popcorn has been around for centuries, but was not that popular until the mid-1800s, when Charles Cretors developed a machine for popping the kernels with steam.

As the 1900s rolled in, popcorn machines could be seen on horse-drawn carriages throughout many cities around the world; the horse-drawn popcorn wagon was also an invention of Cretors. In recent estimates, Americans now consume more than 13 billion quarts of popcorn a year, and a decent portion of this figure comes from the fact that popcorn is the go-to snack for moviegoers.

Popcorn isn’t just the buttery type you are used to in the movie theaters anymore. You can enjoy a variety of sweet or salty tastes and so many flavors that stores are now popping up that are dedicated solely to selling gourmet popcorn – with flavor choices ranging from caramel and cheddar to jalapeno and bacon.

So, today is the day to enjoy a national icon and have some popcorn!

Questions?

If you have any questions about this article or food safety and culinary training, contact me at jdetloff@airculinaire.com. For questions about in-flight catering, contact weborders@airculinaire.com.