What’s poppin’? Southwestern Pennsylvanians celebrate National Popcorn Day
Katherine Mansfield
What鈥檚 a movie without popcorn? During the Great Depression, popcorn 鈥� one of few luxuries folks could afford 鈥� sales actually increased, thanks in part to movie theaters, where peddlers sold the savory treat to theater-goers. Soon after, theater owners installed popcorn machines in lobbies.
Courtesy of Tess Thrower, Setter Marie Photography
Popcorn Willy popcorn 鈥� the movie theater flavor 鈥� is served as wedding favors at a September 2021 in Washington County.
Katherine Mansfield
Popcorn popping today is as simple as pressing 鈥渟tart鈥� on a microwave or, for those who enjoy a more involved method, moving kernels over the heat of a stove or fire. In the early 19th century, Americans threw kernels in hot ash and sifted popcorn from the mess, cooked kernels in lard or butter in kettles, or held a kernel-filled wire box over an open fire.
Katherine Mansfield
Popcorn ears discovered in the Bat Cave of West Central New Mexico in the late 1940s date back 4,000 years. The puffy snack we enjoy today played an integral role in Aztec rituals. In the late 19th century, folks enjoyed popcorn for breakfast, sometimes ground in milk or cream.
For those who love popcorn, the oldest, arguably healthiest and most versatile snack on the planet, National Popcorn Day, celebrated Jan. 19, is one of the first fun holidays of the year.
鈥淓verybody grows up with it. Everybody goes to the movies, gets their bucket of popcorn,鈥� said Addio Fiordigigli, who opened Ekernally Yours popcorn in Charleroi six years ago. 鈥淲hen you smell popcorn, it鈥檚 just happiness.鈥�
Fiordigigli is sharing that puffy, sweet or savory happiness with customers on Jan. 19, when the storefront at 119 State Street in Upper Speers will spill over with Ekernally Yours鈥檚 wide variety of flavors (including its best-selling dill pickle, cheddar cheese and peanut butter chocolate varieties) for the tasting. Folks are invited to sample popped-and-coated kernels and try their luck at larger-than-life raffles throughout the day.
鈥淲e make a six-foot tall bag of popcorn,鈥� said Fiordigigli. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about five gallons of popcorn. We鈥檒l do a raffle and give away a couple of those. We鈥檒l do some online specials as well, discounts, coupons.鈥�
Folks can score Ekernally Yours deals online at www.ekernallyyours.com.
Ken Zeff, who opened Fancypants Popcorn along Butler Street in Pittsburgh in 2020, is also marking the occasion with $1 shipping for all online orders 鈥� place yours at www.fancypantspopcorn.com 鈥� and an in-store treat.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like a holiday,鈥� said Zeff. 鈥淚f you come into the store, you鈥檒l get a free small bag of our Shakey Style popcorn, with is like movie theater popcorn, with any purchase.鈥�
Popcorn Willy, a staple along Washington鈥檚 North Main Street, is also celebrating the not-so-corny holiday. Folks who stop into Popcorn Willy (which offers a large selection of popcorn, lunches, desserts and a poppin鈥� monthly popcorn subscription) on National Popcorn Day will enjoy the buy two, get one free popcorn bag deal.
The pop-pop of kernels transforming into fluffy puffs of snacking goodness aren鈥檛 too loud for local libraries, which are hosting National Popcorn Day events.
Citizens Library in Washington has strung together a day鈥檚 worth of fun for all, and folks are invited to drop in for 鈥減op鈥� up story time, craft activities and a popcorn basket drawing.
鈥淲e ordered a backdrop for photo ops. It has a giant box of popcorn on it, it鈥檚 really cute,鈥� said Diane Ambrose, director of Citizens Library, noting this is the library鈥檚 first National Popcorn Day celebration. 鈥淚t鈥檚 fun. It makes people happy.鈥�
Ambrose and her staff will display a carefully-curated selection of popcorn-themed books, and folks are welcome to enjoy free popcorn 鈥� just be sure to wipe your hands before leafing through the pages of your next read.
Chartiers-Houston Library is also buttering up for a festive event, though plans had not been solidified as of press time. Feel free to check out the library鈥檚 calendar events online at www.washlibs.org/chartiers-houston or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CHCLIBRARY.
Peters Township Recreation Center is also hosting a poppin鈥� event from 3 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 19. Kids ages three to five are invited, along with a chaperone, to play games and enjoy a popcorn bar. Cost is $5 for members, $8 for non-members, and registration by Jan. 17 is required to ensure enough fun and treats are available.
鈥淥ur preschool programs right now are doing really well, they鈥檙e booking up so fast. We only have a few spots left for this program,鈥� said Kristen Martin, recreation supervisor for Peters Township. 鈥淲e鈥檙e excited. I鈥檓 sure it鈥檒l be poppin鈥�.鈥�
Martin said activities include a popcorn relay race, a dancing popcorn experiment and an a-maize-ing craft.
鈥淥ur craft is pretty cute. We鈥檙e going to do little stampers, kind of like Bingo stampers, out of popcorn and paint,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to see how the kids decorate. It鈥檒l be cute.鈥�
With all that fun, National Popcorn Day attendees will certainly work up an appetite, and Martin said a popcorn bar will offer several flavors and mix-ins, like M&Ms.
鈥淭hey kind of just pick what they want to put in with their popcorn,鈥� she said.
Save your spot online at www.peterstownship.com or call 724-942-5000.
As the day draws nearer, more events may pop up, so check your library鈥檚 event calendar or your favorite eatery鈥檚 Facebook page for last-minute National Popcorn Day celebrations or deals.
鈥淧opcorn is one of those foods that everybody loves. Nobody says anything bad about any popcorn,鈥� said Zeff. 鈥淵ou can get popcorn at the movie theater and it鈥檚 great. You can make popcorn at home and it鈥檚 great. You can get popcorn at an independent popcorn store and it鈥檚 all great.鈥�
Ekernally Yours Tips for Home Popcorn
Purchase quality ingredients, and don鈥檛 be shy with the butter and salt.
鈥淚f you鈥檙e melting butter, use good butter. (Make sure) that you鈥檙e salting it enough.鈥�
Have fun.
鈥淓xperiment. Throw some garlic powder on it, throw some parmasean. Make garlic parmasean. My kids love it when we do that at home.鈥�