When I wrote my post about how my family shows love through food, I completely forgot the popcorn. How could I forget the popcorn?
Popcorn is a key component of so many childhood memories. Except for a brief fling with an air popper (probably in the 80s), we’ve always used a plug-in oil popper. Popcorn with butter and salt was the taste of my childhood weekends… enjoyed while watching the Muppets, or later on, a rented movie. Popcorn is actually considered an hors d’oeuvre in my parents’ house – and disappears faster than the cheese and crackers or veggies and hummus.
Now? Popcorn is how my parents show love long-distance. During the pandemic, each of their far-flung children and / or grandchildren has received a care package with… popcorn. In a zip top bag. Salt already applied. Love included.
I’m not ashamed to say that I’ve been rationing my last care package of popcorn and eating it very, very slowly. At this rate, I’ll probably give myself food poisoning (can one get food poisoning from old oil-popped popcorn? I certainly hope not…). But every time I take a kernel or two, I feel my parents’ love.
They’re almost always eating some when we do our weekly family Zoom calls. There is always popcorn in the drawer or on the counter when we come home for visits. It’s the first thing my old friends request when they come to visit. And it’s always made by my dad.
He can make two things: corn muffins and popcorn. Oh, and peanut butter sandwiches. A whiz in the kitchen, he is not.
But oh, his popcorn. You can taste the love in each bite. And he loves making it for us.
So today, I might have another kernel or two of my stash. And think of the day when I can hug them and tell them how much I love them in person.
And maybe eat some fresh popcorn, ready for me, sitting on the counter, showing their love for me.
Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate – Alan D. Wolfelt
Food is symbolic of love when words are inadequate – Alan D. Wolfelt
That is so, so interesting, how popcorn has been a sweet childhood memory for you (and treasured snack to this day – love included! Awww!).
In Germany, we only knew kettle corn (salted or buttered was not common at all) and we would only get it at the movie theater. I have never had popcorn at home. Weird? 😉
Oh, my goodness! You’ve never had popcorn at home? Wow! You would be shocked if you were suddenly dropped into the middle of my family’s gatherings. (Seriously, my nephew can eat an entire batch by himself in about 7 minutes…) That’s fascinating that kettle corn was the main popcorn in Germany. Differences in foods and preferences for those foods are so interesting, whether it’s for families or whole countries!