Log In | Register
In Oscar Wilde's writings, although he is known to us as our very first modern man, I see thoughts portraying the simplicity of being, along with the complexity of our basic existence. Both, simplicity and complexity, are deep-rooted aspects of our nature and cultures. Through his eloquent and esthetic language we see not only a ripe and educated mind, but the basic needs of the heart as well - thus, a simple man.
For a long time now I had been wanting to experiment with popcorn, to induct it in my coffee universe. Yesterday I finally took it upon myself to start trying out the idea and went out precisely to buy some corn. I walked a couple of kilometers to reach my goal, only for one reason: some shops carry only small portions of corn, already prepared with butter and salt (and certainly some preserving and artificial ingredients), which are meant to be popped in the microwave. The package instructs clearly: Only for the Microwave!
There are several things within our concept of civilisation which I truly detest. One of them is being forced to use escalators and not having the opportunity to decide between stairs and electronic transportation on my own. Another one is being forced to use electric sliding doors because no manual ones are in sight. I do understand that, especially for those physically handicapped and many elderly, these are welcomed facilities and I have nothing against such assistance, wherever needed. But I do enjoy running up and down stairs while feeling my muscles. There is however one singular thing I would very much like to see become extinct in our society - Microwave ovens. They serve no comfort in life whatsoever. Quality and value of life have little to do with speed. Especially when it comes to eating, drinking and nourishment.
Alright, I shall stop my moaning now. I did get my unprepared corn and so I proceeded to do my very first popcorn with coffee.
The original idea included rosemary. I knew, even without tasting it in advance, it would take more than salt and coffee to get a pleasurable taste, knowing that salt and butter alone are already a proven joy. I was right, so use rosemary, when you do it yourself.
- 100 g corn (for popcorn machines or pan, NOT for microwave)
- about 5 g roasted coffee seeds
- about 2 teaspoons coarse sea salt
- about 10 - 15 fresh rosemary needles
- a bit of oil
Since I do welcome any opportunity to use a mortar, this is where I grind the coffee seeds with the salt and the rosemary very fine. After putting a bit of oil in the pan, the corn gets popped. I am a hardcore olive oil fan, but corn popping requires high temperatures which are not recommended for olive oil. Nevertheless, I did it with olive oil the first time and might compare results with different oils at a later date. Either way, as soon as the popcorn is ready, put it into a bowl and mix it with the coffee mixture immediately.
I will certainly repeat it very soon, before moving on to the sweet possibilities. By the way, this is the first article in a series under the new category Salt & Sugar. These play crucial roles in the use of coffee, always making a difference, for pleasure, for nutrition or chemically.
