Oh Yeah It’s National Popcorn Day

I cannot begin this 19th day of January without a shout-out to my beloved Pops. One more year down, nine more to go. Dad plans to throw one heck of a party when we celebrate 100 years of life.

There is a certain odd sense of irony in the fact that my Dad’s birthday and National Popcorn Day are one and the same. My Dad loves popcorn. Every year for Christmas, I give him a new tin of popcorn. It’s our thing ever since I was a young girl. A tradition I have never missed.

Popcorn snacks have been around for a long time. The most recognized is Cracker Jacks, developed in 1896. Cracker Jacks are a mixture of popcorn and salted peanuts coated with molasses. In addition to Cracker Jacks there are other popcorn based snacks such as Fiddle Faddle and Poppycock. Fiddle Faddle was more akin to Cracker Jacks, the grandfather of all popcorn snacks, in that it was mixed with peanuts, then covered in a butter toffee coating. Poppycock was a mixture of popcorn, almonds and pecans covered in a candied glaze and fashioned into clusters. But the popcorn treat that rocked my world were the Screaming Yellow Zonkers, introduced in 1968 as a buttery nut-free snack. The name alone was wild. And the whole marketing strategy was undoubtedly geared to the Hippies of that time. It was comical, bolt and filled with pizzazz. These days Screaming Yellow Zonkers are manufactured for a limited time (usually near the holidays) and sold at Walgreens Drug Store in their candy aisle.

That doesn’t mean we have to do without. Just as Cracker Jacks (without the prize) can be made at home, so can Zonkers. If you are like me, a fiend for buttery treats, you’ll love this snack. Who knows, maybe for Dad’s 100th Birthday Bash, we’ll have goodies bags filled with Screaming Yellow Zonkers.

Screaming Yellow Zonkers (Buttered Candy Popcorn)
2 bag (10 cups) Butter Flavored Microwave Popcorn
8 tablespoons Butter
1 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
1/4 cup Water
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda

Heat oven to 250-degrees. Line two rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.

Pop popcorn in the microwave according to package instructions. Open bag slightly, turn upside down and shake out onto a paper towel. Unpopped kernels are heavier, will fall to the bottom of the upside down bag and out onto the paper towels. While this will not eliminate all unpopped kernels, it does remove most.

Spread each bag of popped popcorn out on a prepared baking sheet. Pick out any remaining unpopped kernels. Place the baking sheets in the oven to keep warm.

Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add butter, melt. Once melted add sugar, corn syrup and water. Heat to a gentle boil while stirring the pot. Once the sugar has begun to melt, let boil continuously while only a few time during a full 3 minute boil. Remove saucepan from heat, add vanilla, stir in, followed by the baking soda. It will bubble up.

Remove first pan of popped popcorn from the oven. Pour half of the buttery coating over the sheet of popcorn. Using two rubber spatulas, toss popcorn with peanuts to coat evenly. Spread out in a single layer on the pan. Repeat with remaining baking sheet of popcorn. Return pans to the oven, bake for 15 minutes.

Remove both baking sheets, toss popcorn again to separate. Spread out in an even single layer and continue to bake another 15 minutes. Remove pans from the oven again, toss for a few minutes while the popcorn cools to keep it from clumping.

Allow the Screaming Yellow Zonkers to cool completely on the baking sheets before serving.

This Hippie-Treat can store in an air-tight container for about 7 days before becoming stale.

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Have mercy on me, O God; have mercy on me,
for in You I take refuge.
In the shadow of Your wings I take refuge,
till harm pass by.