Pool Popcorn and Memorial Day

🌽 🇺🇸 Pool Popcorn and Memorial Day 🇺🇸 🌽

Memorial Day weekend is first and foremost a time to honor and remember the men and women who gave their lives serving our country. It is a day of gratitude, reflection, and gathering together with family and friends while appreciating the freedoms their sacrifice made possible.

Across the country, the holiday weekend also marks the unofficial beginning of summer — pool season, grilling season, cold drinks al fresco and the simple delicious snacks everyone reaches for all afternoon long.

At my house, one of those snacks is almost always popcorn.

Not plain buttered popcorn, but big bowls of freshly popped popcorn tossed with bold seasonings. Every summer I rotate between three favorite versions: Mexican Chile Lime Popcorn with Tajín and Cotija cheese; Italian Herb Popcorn with Parmesan, garlic, and Italian seasoning; and spicy-buttery Buffalo Popcorn with just enough heat to keep everyone reaching back into the bowl.

Pool Popcorn and Memorial Day

💦 🌽 Pool Popcorn Recipes 🌽 💦

Fresh Popped Corn

2 T. avocado oil blend
1/2 c. premium popcorn kernels
fine sea salt

Heat oil in a medium/large pot over medium-high heat. Add the popcorn kernels and cover with a lid. Shake the pot frequently as the kernels pop. Once there are about 3 seconds between pops, remove the pot from the heat. Season with salt.

Italian Pool Popcorn

garlic powder
italian seasoning
grated parmesan

Toss popcorn with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and parmesan.

Italian seasoning contains: paprika, oregano, onion, thyme, coriander, basil, black pepper, garlic, sage, and parsley.

Mexican Pool Popcorn

garlic powder
tajín chili/lime seasoning
finely grated cotija cheese

Toss popcorn with garlic powder, tajín, and cotija.

Tajín seasoning includes: chile peppers, sea salt, citric acid, and dehydrated lime juice.

Buffalo Pool Popcorn

melted butter
Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Hot Sauce

Whisk 1 part melted butter with 2 parts buffalo sauce. Toss with popcorn, drizzle more on top.

Notes

Measurements of ingredients are flexible. Add more or less according to taste. But don’t over-salt in the beginning as cheeses and spices already contain salt.

Toss popcorn in an extra large bowl to have room to coat all the kernels, then transfer to a serving bowl.

Thank You

Extending a very special thank you to my dear long-time friend, Aldo, for sending me these charming vintage Pyrex bowls. I will cherish them and your friendship forever. 💛

These Shenandoah Pyrex bowls date back to the early 1980s, near the end of Pyrex’s patterned era, and they’ve clearly already lived many years in your well-used kitchen before finding their way into mine.

Aldo is a very accomplished chef in his own right, with many years spent working in high-end restaurant kitchens, including us together in Aspen, Colorado at the Ute City Banque. Now these bowls will continue their story here, holding meals and memories along the way.