http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/01/dining/popcorn-recipes-tips-for-popping-heirloom-corn-varieties.html 2014-09-30 22:04:52 Popcorn Recipes: Tips for Popping Heirloom Corn Varieties Kim Severson gives advice on making the corn you pop truly your own. === Cooking a pan of popcorn is so simple and satisfying that I’m always surprised when people say it seems like too much trouble. The results are far superior to anything that comes from a microwave or a bag. “It’s amazing how confounded people are,” said Wendy Boersema Rappel, a spokeswoman for the Still, I’ve discovered that cooking stovetop popcorn well requires a few professional tips and leaves room for plenty of variation. I start with a large, heavy pan that holds four quarts. I like three tablespoons of fat to a half-cup of kernels. Heat two tablespoons of coconut oil over high heat (though other pantry oils, like canola or even olive oil, work fine). Add a few kernels. When they pop, take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the popcorn and a tablespoon of butter. (You can also melt the butter in the hot pan after the popcorn has been removed for a more pronounced butter presence, but I find that pouring it on after the fact makes the popcorn a touch soggy.) Turn the heat down to the medium side of medium-high and cover the pan. When the popping starts, keep the lid slightly ajar to release steam, and shake the pan about every 10 seconds. Some cooks geek out and fit the pan with a foil lid cut through with slits to allow steam to escape and keep all the kernels in. Soon, the action will slow to a few pops every couple seconds. That’s your cue to take the pan off the heat. In other words, if you are starting to wonder if it’s done, it is. A good sprinkle of nutritional yeast can raise the umami factor. Fresh, aromatic herbs like rosemary or sage can be chopped and added to the oil just before the corn starts popping. After the popping, butter infused with a little hot sauce, or soy and grated ginger, can add character. But I’m a purist. I finish mine with an immediate sprinkle of fine sea salt or kosher pickling salt and then head to the couch.