The lastest science experiment – Popcorn
Last Wednesday during my regular visit to the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market I found these wonderful golden ears of corn at Flora Bella Farm.
Farmer James Birch at the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market
Farmer James Birch helped me select a few of his finest certified organic produce. He described how I should remove the kernels from the cob and put them in a little oil in a pan with a tight fitting lid on the stove.
“Oh no!” I replied “I was planning on making popcorn trees in the microwave with the kids. Do you think it will work?”
“I don’t know about any of that radiation stuff!” he said.
Our microwaved popcorn took a little practice, one ear flew out of the little bowl as the pops increased and then overcooked and started smoking.
We painted the one in the video with oil but found that the plain corn worked better – no oil required.
Here’s a little video we made of the Ladles and Jellyspoons science experiment:
Popcorn from Lucy Lean on Vimeo.
The Pyrex jug helped keep the corn upright (important so it doesn’t burn) and also seemed to keep the popped pieces on the cob which meant the best popcorn trees. The popcorn on the cob was tightly packed but the most delicious pieces for eating were actually the ones that flew off and scattered around the floor of the microwave.
The best part for me was just hearing Minty and Rémy laughing as they watched through the glass as the popcorn popped and went flying inside the microwave.
The only thing we couldn’t all agree on was which movie to watch whilst eating it! Perhaps the scene from Ratatouille where Rémy the rat learns how fire improves the flavor with the lightening strike that melds the popcorn and the cheese? MAGIC!