That is pretty easy… one of my biggest downfalls as far as snacks go is popcorn. I go to a movie and devour half of the bucket even before the previews are over. Something about that crisp and somewhat chewy snack drenched in buttery topping that is so addictive. My hands and lips get greasy, and I always drop a kernel or two, but as wonderful as movie theater popcorn is there is one popcorn better.
My dad used to take oil (most years just Crisco or Wesson oil from what I remember) and Jolly Time or later on some Orville Redenbacher’s white (not yellow) popcorn and pour it in a pan (there was a designated popcorn pan). He put the lid on the pan and shook the pot. I’d wait for the sound of the kernels starting to pop and he always knew just when to take the pan off the heat to maximize the pop but not cook them too long to scorch. He would pour the popcorn into old empty gallon ice cream tubs, sprinkle on a little popcorn salt, put on a lid and shake it up. Then he would hand me the bucket. It was so good!
I have tried many times to duplicate the recipe and it never does taste as good as what dad made. And it would last too. He would always pop up three or four tubs and we would snack on popcorn for about three or four days. It would maybe be a little bit chewier at the end of that time, but still tasted great. I just wish I knew how he did it. I would give anything to have another bucket of his homemade batch.
Leigha Robbins 