NOTICE TO VIEWERS: This target was chosen by Teresa Frisch for the Wednesday night free webinar she holds on a bi-weekly basis. We at PSI use the targets she selects on this day so viewers will not wind up getting two different targets with the same set of coordinates. You can sign up for these free webinars at her web page under the option, "Online Classes & Discussions". Videos of all of Teresa's webinars are available on YouTube


TARGET 121128

MAKING KETTLE CORN


Stirring the kettle

Kettle corn is a sweet-and-salty variety of popcorn that is typically mixed or seasoned with a light colored refined sugar, salt, and oil. It was traditionally made in cast iron kettles, but in modern times other types of pans are used.

It was introduced to the United States in the 18th century. It is referenced in the diaries of Dutch settlers in Pennsylvania circa 1776.


It is a treat generally sold at fairs or other festive occasions. The combination was widely popular in the early 19th century but fell from wide usage during the 20th century. In the early 21st century, kettle corn has made something of a comeback in America, especially at 19th-century living history events. As of the 21st century, it is cooked and sold at fairs and flea markets throughout the United States, especially art and craft shows. In typical practice, a cast iron cauldron is used to publicly cook the corn and mix the ingredients.

However, kettle corn can be made at home.
NOTE: Since Teresa's original tasking was for beginning viewers only, and the Target of the Week targets are designed for all levels of viewers, the following is for the more advanced viewers, who are tasked with describing the process. If you are a beginning viewer, don't panic when you see this. You have not been tasked to describe it. In fact, it will probably be a new learning experience for most of them.

On the website TheKitchn.com (no e in kitchn), Emma Christensen, the recipe editor for The Kitchn and a graduate of the Cambridge School for Culinary Arts, gives some very good instructions for making good kettle corn, yourself:

How To Make Kettle Corn at Home
Makes 6 to 8 servings (About 10 cups)

What You Need

Ingredients:
  3 tablespoons oil, like coconut oil, canola oil, or other vegetable oil
  ½ cup corn kernels
  ¼ to ½ cup white granulated sugar, to taste
  1 teaspoon salt

Equipment:
  Baking sheet
  Parchment paper
  4-quart sauce pot with lid
  Long-handled spoon for stirring

Instructions:

Prep the Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with
parchment and set it near the stove. You will pour
the popped corn out onto this sheet to cool, later.


Warm the Oil: Pour the oil into the pot and drop
in three kernels of corn. These will be your indicator
for when the oil is hot.


Cover with the lid and set over medium-high heat.



When you hear one of the kernels pop, uncover
the pot and pour in the rest of the kernels,
the sugar, and salt. Use ¼ cup of sugar
if you like slightly sweet kettle corn and more if
you like sweeter.


Quickly stir everything together to coat all the
kernels and replace the lid.


Shake the pan occasionally as the popcorn starts to
pop, and then more frequently and vigorously as the
popping increases. Rest the pot on the burner every
few seconds to maintain the heat. Some wisps of
steam toward the end of popping are normal. Don't
confuse this with smoke! However, if do you smell
smoke, stop popping and proceed with the next steps.

When you hear the popping begin to slow, 1 to 2 seconds
between pops, remove the pan from heat. Don't wait for
every kernel to pop or you'll end up burning the popcorn.
As soon as you think it might be starting to slow down,
take it off the heat. Total popping time is about 2 to 3
minutes on my electric stove.


Immediately pour the popcorn on the prepared baking sheet.


Use the long-handled spoon and your fingers
to spread the popcorn into an even layer to cool
and pick out any burnt pieces (there are always a
few in every batch!).


Let it cool for at least five minutes. It will
crisp as it cools. Eat immediately or store it
in an airtight container for several days.


And that's the whole process! Making your own may
not provide as much fresh air and entertainment
as going to a fair, but it's sure a lot faster,
cheaper, and you can make it to your own taste.


Oh, yes. There is one other thing... sometimes,
some of the sugar has melted to the botton of
the pan. If so, there is another very fast and
easy process to clean it - also described on TheKitchn.com .

NOTE TO ADVANCED VIEWRS: This was probably a new type of tasking for you.As you enter more into operational work, you will be tasked with describing processes, many scientific, many mechanical, etc. I would be very interested in hearing any problems you ran into as you did this tasking.

If you got impressions for which this feedback is insufficient, more information,
pictures and videos can be found at the following web sites:

TheKitchn.com
Flavors of kettle corn
Moosehead Kettle corn sales
Peters Kettle Corn Facebook page
SavorySweetLife.com


Many thanks to Teresa Frisch for this target.