For most people popcorn is just a treasured snack, but perhaps while chomping down some of this tasty treat you have wondered where it came from. There is no doubt that popcorn is truly an American snack, but did it come from America originally?
Who invented popcorn is perhaps one of the biggest popcorn questions. The answer, as you will see, is not so easy to figure out. What you are going to learn, though, is the best possible answer that is out there.
Read on to learn a bit more about how popcorn has come through time to be the gourmet snack we enjoy so much today.
Various Theories
The simple answer to who invented popcorn seems to be the Native American Indians. What exact tribe and where exactly the location was is not very clear.
Native American Indians were thought to have discovered popcorn by throwing whole ears of corn on the fire and it then popping. They would eat it as a snack and also use it for decoration and jewelry.
The oldest ear of popcorn found was in New Mexico in a bat cave. This ear of corn was dated to be 4,000 years old.
Aztecs used popcorn in Mexico in 1519 as food and décor.
Peruvian Indians used popcorn in the 16th century.
However, popcorn was and is most popular in America where it is still mainly grown in the Mid Western states.
Popcorn Through Time
Popcorn can be found all over the world. As mentioned, though, its main growing grounds are in the United States. However, it can be found anywhere that corn can be grown.
In early America the colonists used popcorn as a breakfast food. They would use sweetened milk poured over it as a breakfast cereal.
It was very popular in the United States during the Great Depression. Sweet treats and most treats, actually, were at a minimum due to rationing. Popcorn, however, was still widely available and was the snack of choice.
Popcorn is still very popular. It has been used in many different situations from street vendors to movie theaters to ball parks.
With the invention of the microwave and the introduction of microwave popcorn, this snack saw a surge in popularity once again. People began eating popcorn at home more than ever before.
Popcorn Today
Today popcorn stays with the times and continues to be a favorite snack due to the introduction of gourmet popcorn. The many flavor combinations has made popcorn one of the most versatile snacks on the market.
Gourmet flavors can make popcorn a sweet chocolate treat, a spicy snack or a simple delight with culinary undertones of rosemary and sage. Almost any flavor you can imagine has been put together with popcorn.
Popcorn has come a long way since its beginnings on the fire. It is no longer just a nice snack. It fills the need for many snackers from dieters to gourmet enthusiast. Today's popcorn is anything but boring and ordinary.
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