Salted Caramel Popcorn

On Saturday, Dannica and I spent a decadent day together. We went to the Lynwood Women's spa for the good part of the day, and then headed to her place for dinner. I brought over a bread round that I had rising in my fridge and some homemade onion jam, and we paired that with a salad and some pulled pork that Dannica had been cooking and recooking for several days so it was absolutely delicious. Then it was movie time, and she opened a bag of Uncle Woody's Caramel corn (yummmm!). And THEN she had the amazing idea to sprinkle salt on it...it was the best idea ever! I love caramel corn and salted caramels, and had just never connected the dots.

So here I am tonight with no caramel corn, but the fond memories of Saturday night urge me to change my lot in life. Here is the result:






It was quite easy! Most of the recipes I found called for corn syrup, but I didn't have any so I used honey, which is what some websites suggested, and I think its delicious! Here is the recipe:

4 cups popped popcorn in a large bowl
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon honey (or corn syrup if you have it)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
sea salt (optional)
2 cookie sheets lined with wax paper, greased with butter

Put the sugar, butter, honey or corn syrup, and water in a saucepan on medium high heat. Stir until combined. Bring to a boil and cook for about 8 minutes. Remove from heat, add sea salt if you like (I think I put in about 2 tablespoons), stir. Add baking soda and stir. The mixture will foam up for a few seconds and then stop. At this point, whisk the caramel for a few seconds and then quickly pour the sauce over the popcorn and stir until coated (it takes a while). Spread the caramel corn on the wax paper lines cookie sheets. Let cool and store in an airtight container.

My recent trip to the bulk food section of Ballard Market! I rallied up some empty containers and came home without any new packaging. Woot!

I'm grateful that Ballard Market is friendly about customers bringing their own containers; the cashiers happily weigh all of my jars and let me fill them with delicious bulk foods, including the awesome grind-your-own peanut and almond butter! So much fun. However, this is not the case at most big box grocery stores. The cashiers are usually suspicious, or confused about how to tare the weight, or will outright refuse, mumbling something about a health code violation.

So when I read about this packaging free grocery store that is opening soon in Austin, I was a little jealous! Its a massive bulk food concept that goes beyond dry goods. Check it out:

http://www.good.is/post/zero-packaging-grocery-store-to-open-in-austin-texas/

What a great idea! Its the answer to so much of our country's waste problem, and gives ridiculous food brand marketing the finger. I hope these guys do well and more of them start popping up!

A new plastic free year!

Its almost the end of January, but in the lingering spirit of New Year's resolutions I've decided to reignite my anti-plastic blogging efforts. Two years ago I went plastic free for a month and it was challenging. Since then, some of those challenges have become a way of life. For example, its rare that I take a plastic shopping bag from a store, and even when I come home from QFC, the contents of my canvas bag suggest that I did my shopping at a farmers market. I try not to buy anything that comes in a package if I can get it without or make it myself. However, I think my ego is underestimating the remaining waste that I still contribute to the landfills. So I've decided to keep it all for the rest of the year and find out! Not only will this quantify my plastic purchases, but it will also serve as constant motivation for me to not add to the stockpile. I haven't figured out where I'll put all this trash if it gets out of control, but I suppose that's the point.


To make this an excercise in limiting my own contribution to the demand, I am only going to save trash from things that I purchase. In an attempt to not to alienate normal people during the experiment, I'll exempt anything that is given to me as an (unsolicited) gift, or in a way that would be awkward and ultimately pointless to turn down (for instance, while it might seem like cheating for me to eat one of the plastic wrapped sandwiches and cookies at a catered work meeting, it is also more wasteful for them to throw the leftovers into a landfill along with the plastic. Also, bringing my own lunch would make me seem weird and thus begins the alienation that I would like to avoid).

If I can end the year with less than a garbage bag full I'd be proud, but of course the goal is to approach zero. I may regret this by summer :) Happy plastic free new year to me!