Maple Cumin Popcorn

IF you are a Vermonter you probably have maple on the mind. You drive anywhere outside of the city and you start see all tubes and lines running through the woods attached to all the trees. And spring. The weather plays a huge part in sugaring so when the weather is right, people be talking. It's maple sugaring time around here so of course I am thinking maple thoughts. It is kind of hard not to.

The first thing that goes through my mind when I think about maple is that I think I want a small sugarbush on our land (the land we have yet to find and buy) We already know that we are going to have an apiary (bees and honey) so why not do maple too? The would keep us busy all summer through spring with sweet things. Summers with the bees then trudging through the cold waist high snow tapping trees and hanging out in a sugar house in the woods.. I think that it should be part of my life. Plus think about the possibilities of a name for a honey/maple farm. Let your mind take you there. 

Second thing I think about when I think about maple is how to eat it. Most people jump right to pancakes, maple on snow, or lattes. But then what? Not going lie, I do not have a sweet tooth, like at all. I do't eat pancakes covered in maple. I don't drink lattes, and the maple on snow thing got old in 5th grade.

But I do like popcorn. 

Maple popcorn. Sounds good right? But maybe a little too sweet so add in a savory component to balance the sweetness out, and that is where the cumin comes in.       Maple is earthy and sweet, and a tad bit smokey. Cumin is earthy and savory, and smokey as well.. The two together create a fantastical flavor combonation that is smokey sweet and savory and all so freaking good.  Added to popcorn, well it's right in all the ways that we need it to be.  

Now if the mr and I could just decide on a movie that we can both watch together... Probably just end up watching the Office instead. And we will each have our own bowls of popcorn. 

The stuff. Air popped popcorn, maple syrup, ground cumin, vegan butter, and salt.

Butter and cumin go into a pot to melt and activate the flavor of the cumin. 

Once the butter is melted and the cumin is fragrant, the maple joins the pot party. Keep the pot on low and stir continuously for about 5 minutes until the syrup get a tiny bit thicker. 

Maple cumin syrup ready to go.

Dump the popcorn on a large rimmed baking sheet. Grab the syrup and drizzle it all all over the popcorn. Toss it around, sprinkle with a a little salt and then pop it into the warm oven for 5-7 minutes to keep the popcorn from being soggy. 

And then it's done. Dump it into a big bow and get ready to eat. 

Sweet and smokey all in your mouth. This popcorn is sure to please.

-C

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Maple Cumin Popcorn 

makes about 8 cups popcorn

• 8-9 cups air popped popcorn
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1/3 cup real maple syrup (preferably from VT)
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• salt to taste

Preheat oven to 250.

Grab a large rimmed baking sheet and dump popcorn onto it.

Place cumin and butter in a small pot and place on low heat. Stir until butter is melted and you can start to smell the cumin. Add in the maple and continuously stir for about 5 minutes until it start to slightly thicken. Immediately drizzle the syrup all over the popcorn, toss it around, sprinkle with a little salt and then pop it into the oven for about 5-7 minutes to prevent the popcorn from becoming soggy.

Remove and let cool a minutes then dump popcorn into a big bowl. Grab a movie (because you know that is what you are doing) and get to the popcorn. 

Extra popcorn (but there will not be any) will last for a few days in a airtight container) 

Honey Mustard Pretzel Popcorn

What are you going to be doing this weekend? Are you dressing up all crazy, taking a little or two door to door for bite sized pieces of candy, or are you maybe giving out candy? Are you going to some spectacular Halloween party, or are you thinking more tricks then treats and are planning on TP-ing the neighbors or creating some mischief around town. 

Whatever you are doing, it's sounds like it's going to be a blast. Just note, if you are being mischievous  don't be an asshole about it. Stealing candy from kids is wrong,(steal your candy from adults) and TP is cool but spray paint and things that are permanent are not. And stay away from my houses! 

Anyway, the Halloween situation  is always the same with me and the mr. We say that we need to do something fun and different every year. Maybe a party, or even just some human intreat ion. But just like every year, we give in to our inner hermits. Our Halloween night will be as followed: Lock ourselves in the house, drawing the shades,(note that we would totally give out candy, but our door is down a very narrow and dark driveway, behind a fence, and pretty much inaccessible to people) watch a movie  (thinking Donnie Darko or maybe even old reruns of Halloween Rosanne.) eat popcorn,and go to sleep at a very reasonable hour.  And now that I say it out loud, our evening sounds like the most perfect way to spend the night. Especially because of the popcorn.

Let's just stop and think about this popcorn a minute……...

Ok, so do you get it now?. This is an epic popcorn combo. Mustard is for everything. A slightly sweet honey mustard all drizzled on  popcorn, well that's just craziness. And if you are like the mr., the pretzel crumble just takes it over the top. If we had made plans, I would probably have to cancel just so I can stay in an eat this popcorn.

And I have a hunch that this flavor combination will pair very well with a handful or two of some halloween candies. 

POPCORN TIME!!!!!

The stuff. A big ass bowl of air popped popcorn.  Spicy brown mustard (can use any mustard) honey (can use maple) a little olive oil and a few pretzel sticks. (can use any pretzel shape you like)

Bag the pretzels, grap something heavy (rolling pin works great) and smash the pretzels into tiny little bits.

Just like this

In a little pot ) mix mustard, oil and honey together. Place on medium  heat and mix continuously until the mixture is hot and a nice liquid pourable consistency. 

Now you can do this any way you want, but my way is probably the best. Dividie popcorn in two bowls and drizzle each bowl with equal amounts of mustard sauce.

Flip one of the bowls ontop of the other and shake the crap oiut of it.(or until the popcorn is evenly coated)

And the popcorn is all nice and evenly coasted. Now dump in the crushed pretzel and repeat the double bowl shake.

Check it out… Some fantastical popcorn

Now don't you want to turn the lights off and snuggle on the couch with this bowl?

Share if you want, but hey, it's just popcorn so you can taotally eat it all yourself. 

Happy Friday.. And Happy Halloween

-C

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Honey Mustard Pretzel Popcorn

makes 10 cups (enough to share between 2 people)

• 10 ish cups of air popped popcorn
• 3 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey (sub maple or agave if vegan)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3-4 pretzel rods (or whatever shape) which makes about 1/2 a cup smashed (use gluten free if needed)

Take pretzels and place them in a bag of some sort and using something heavy (like a rolling pin) smash the pretzels until they are a smallish crumb (some big shanks are good too)

In a small sauce pot, combine the mustard, honey, oil, and mix to combine. Stick pot on stove and heat on medium until sauce is hot and liquidy. (can get the same result by using a microwave safe bowl and sticking it in a microwave at 20 second intervals until  hot)

Evenly distribute popcorn into two big bowls. Take the warmed up sauce and drizzle all over popcorn in  each bowl the, for the fun part, flip one bowl onto the other and shake the popcorn all around to evenly coat. Remove a bowl, toss in the pretzel crumbs and pieces and place the bowl back on. Shake again.

Popcorn is ready, now eating it!