Thousands of years have passed and people still enjoy popcorn. How it is made has progressed from hot rocks or sand to a popcorn machine that ancient cultures would never recognize. The best thing about the various methods is anywhere you are, you can enjoy this snack.
In Peru, a shallow vessel with a hole on top and handle for holding over an open fire was found and believed to be used for heating kernels. The ancient people of Mexico heated sand and placed kernels in it to pop. Other cultures at the time would heat stones, place the seeds on top of them, and make a game of catching them in the air as they popped.
The industrial age brought with it a demand to make popcorn in the home. Blacksmiths responded by devising a contraction that could be rotated over a fire. The apparatus was cone shaped with a spit inside. The rotating motion prevented the kernels from being burned.
In the nineteenth a peanut roaster was converted to pop corn by a sweet shop owner. He kept the machine in front of his store and sold the treat to people entering his store or passing by on the street. He took his idea to the Chicago Colombian Exposition and other vendors began to place orders for one to be built for them.
This new appliance was steam powered and filtered some of its exhaust in a bin underneath it where the snack could be stored and kept warm. Though steam operated, it used oil for popping the seeds. Up until this change, the wire basket or metal cone had been the major method used.
In the 1900's an electric method was introduced. Cleaner, quieter and lighter, the new model became popular. Used in movie theaters and on sidewalks, merchants could sell their product before the movie crowds purchased tickets.
Families began to spend most of their time at home and the popularity of this snack began to decline. However, in the sixties, a sleeker version was introduced. The new machines began to appear in place of the older versions in concession stands and on lunch counters. Homemakers were able to provide the tasty and simple treat to their family while enjoying a television show together.
Starting with heated sand, hot rocks, and vessels held over sand, the popcorn machine has experienced many changes. Modern models can measure butter and dispense it automatically. As a favorite snack of most people, the majority of homes own at least one machine.
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