Kettle corn

Unless inspected carefully, the clear coating on kettle corn is barely visible.

Kettle corn is a sweet-and-salty variety of popcorn that adds granulated sugar, salt, and oil.

In the 1700s, kettle corn was introduced to colonial palates in the United States. It is referenced in the diaries of Dutch Settlers in Pennsylvania circa 1776. It was a special festival / fair snack food. Even today, most movie houses in Germany sell the product. The corn is popped in iron kettles and then sweetened with sugar, honey, and sometimes molasses before adding salt. The combination was widely popular in the early 1800s but fell from wide usage during the 1900s. In the early 2000s, it has made something of a comeback in America, and as of 2006, it is cooked and sold at fairs and flea markets throughout the United States, especially art and craft shows. The microwave version is sold at grocery stores under Orville Redenbacher's, Act II, Pop Secret, and other brands.

Its flavor is not overwhelmingly sweet like that of caramel corn. The contrast between kettle corn's subtle sweetness and its salt flavoring has endeared it to many. Additionally, nutritionists point out that it has less fat and sodium than most flavored popcorns, a desirable feature for people on low-calorie or low-sodium diets.[1]

Kettle corn is also popular in East Asian cultures, such as China, where the snack is frequently served in bars. Legend has it that, at the end of a long, hard day of work, it was a farm custom to pop corn in the large cast iron kettle used to render lard from hogs. The corn popped very quickly in the hot kettle, and farmers often added a sweetener such as molasses, honey or sugar to the popcorn.

Legend has it that, at the end of a long, hard day of work, it was a farm custom to pop corn in the large cast iron kettle used to render lard from hogs. The corn popped very quickly in the hot kettle, and farmers often added a sweetener such as molasses, honey or sugar to the popcorn.