Caramel Popcorn

Somehow I've lived what would be a lifetime for some people and had never seen The Sound of Music! Well, until this year- and now I've seen it twice! I recently saw a local theatre company production, and was then keen to see the famous movie musical.

A number of things were surprising to me. There were Nazis! I'd only ever seen snippets on the tele- Julie Andrews twirling about in Alpine meadows didn't make me think of Nazis, nor did songs like Do Re Mi.

How to guess there are Nazis?

Whilst watching the local theatre company version I was very surprised when they began to sing Climb Ev'ry Mountain. It's a very famous song. Of course I've heard it before. Turns out it's from Sound of Music! Who knew? Everyone seems to have had a go at this from June Bronhill to Christina Aguilera and Michael Jackson.

I think perhaps this is my favourite song though:

It's so silly. Yet so catchy. There's probably not enough yodelling in the modern world.

I also learnt I appear to be the only Australian woman over 25 who hasn't done the Sound of Music tour in Salzburg. Apparently we all go gaga over the rotunda where Rolfe and Liesl sing.

When my friend came around to share my first movie experience of Sound of Music, we ate a number of things, one of which was Caramel Popcorn. I'd pulled this recipe out of the Sunday Telegraph a few months ago, and been waiting for an excuse to try it.

Caramel Popcorn

1/3 cup popping corn
15gm butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup caster sugar
1/4 tsp bicarb soda

Place the butter, honey and sugar in a saucepan over low heat. Stir until the butter is melted. Increase heat to medium and bring to the boil for 3-4 minutes or until golden and thick.

While caramel is cooking, place popping corn in air popper and collect popped corn in a large bowl.

Remove from heat, and add the bicarb soda and stir to combine. Pour the caramel over the popcorn and toss to combine. Spoon onto a baking tray to set. Break to serve.


Donna Hay
Sunday Telegraph
3/4/11

Notes.
The original recipe used an oiled saucepan for the popcorn. We don't make popcorn all that often at home, but for some reason I bought a popcorn maker somewhere along the way. It's great.

My son will love this when he gets to try it.

We were too impatient to eat and didn't set the caramel corn out to dry on a tray, and it was still delicious- we had to finish watching Sound of Music after all. And what did I think of Sound of Music? The Sound of Music is essentially Jane Eyre set to music with added Nazis and 7 children, a bit like the 7 dwarfs.  I am glad to have finally seen it, and may even watch it again, especially if I make another batch of caramel popcorn.

This post is linked to Weekend Cooking, a fabulous weekly meme at Beth Fish Reads.