5-Second Skill: How To Make Brown Bag Popcorn
Leave it to a master of sustainability and style to author a vegetarian cookbook so chic we're hiding our bacon. Danny Seo's new recipe collection, Naturally Delicious, is an ode to all things from-scratch. They just happen to be really beautiful, too.
Let me be blunt: Microwave popcorn is gross. Ever hear of microwave popcorn lung? It is actually a thing. Workers in factories where microwave popcorn is packaged were getting sick because they were inhaling large quantities of the artificial flavoring diacetyl, which gives microwave popcorn a "buttery" taste.
As if that weren't reason enough to avoid those familiar waxy bags of kernels, go ahead and open one before you pop it. That gelatinous mess of kernels, fats and other unrecognizable solids melt down, heat up and become a bowl of hot popcorn. Even worse, the nonstick bag is lined with the same chemicals used to make the nonstick frying pans that are being banned and phased out.
If you like the convenience of microwave popcorn but not the death scare, give these a try. Regular brown paper bags work great, and you won't have to worry about what evils lurk inside your popcorn bag.
- 1/4 cup popcorn kernels
- Place popcorn kernels in the brown paper bag, and fold down the top 2 or 3 times to close.
- Microwave on high until the popping slows down, about 4 minutes.