Popcorn Balls and other fun ways to use our harvest

[SharonRossy]

I just realized when I checked out Steen's syrup, that my mother would always make popcorn balls at Halloween, and she must have used that. I grew up in Syracuse, NY. Of course, today you could never make those and give them away, they'd end up in the garbage for fear of being poisoned! Oh how I loved those popcorn balls!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

I just realized when I checked out Steen's syrup, that my mother would always make popcorn balls at Halloween, and she must have used that. I grew up in Syracuse, NY. Of course, today you could never make those and give them away, they'd end up in the garbage for fear of being poisoned! Oh how I loved those popcorn balls!

The goof balls at work tried to make them and they left like 50 old maids in each ball to break your teeth on.
It seems they didn't know how to separate them.
For those of you that dont know what an old maid is in popcorn it is the un-popped kernels.

It was sometime back in the 60's that razor blades started showing up in Halloween candy.

I made some here at the house about 6 months ago.
I caramelized sugar in a skillet.
A very time consuming tedious thing to do but well worth learning.

Bill what did you do on your time off?
"Well I drank too much and got caught with another woman and am getting a divorce".
Worth what did you do on your time off?
"Well I drank a little, made pop corn balls, sausage and hot pepper preserves."

Worth

[SharonRossy]

Does anyone even remember popcorn balls? My mother also made caramel apples. And in our grocery store, we would get candy apples that she would order. Yummy! Break your teeth, but yummy. I miss the old store with the big pretzel sticks and speaking of Halloween, I also remember the wax candy - the lips, finger nails, and whatever. I am dating myself, lol

Sharon

[Zana]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Does anyone even remember popcorn balls? My mother also made caramel apples. And in our grocery store, we would get candy apples that she would order. Yummy! Break your teeth, but yummy. I miss the old store with the big pretzel sticks and speaking of Halloween, I also remember the wax candy - the lips, finger nails, and whatever. I am dating myself, lol

Sharon

I remember all of those Sharon...so we must be the same vintage!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Does anyone even remember popcorn balls? My mother also made caramel apples. And in our grocery store, we would get candy apples that she would order. Yummy! Break your teeth, but yummy. I miss the old store with the big pretzel sticks and speaking of Halloween, I also remember the wax candy - the lips, finger nails, and whatever. I am dating myself, lol

Sharon

Sharon I mentioned that i made them in a post or two before this one.
I dont know whether you read it or not but yse O do remember them and I do make them.
Why is because I love crackerjacks.

Here are the pictures of the process I did today.
Get popcorn ready ahead of time.
And start boiling syrup.


Have ice water on hand to test for brittleness.

Add a little syrup at a time and mix with big spoon NOT hands and work very very fast.

Very quickly dollop popcorn on parchment paper and you are3 running out of time so hurry.

Make into balls let cool and enjoy.

If you or anyone that remembers these things hasne done it at least once you need to.
Why, because it will help you appreciate the hard work these ladies did for the kids during Halloween.
This popcorn is old school popcorn I made in a kettle I dont buy microwave popcorn.

Worth

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

I just realized when I checked out Steen's syrup, that my mother would always make popcorn balls at Halloween, and she must have used that. I grew up in Syracuse, NY. Of course, today you could never make those and give them away, they'd end up in the garbage for fear of being poisoned! Oh how I loved those popcorn balls!

Around here popcorn balls were made with Karo corn syrup when I was a kid. I don't think I've ever seen cane syrup anywhere, but I'm going to look for it.

[coronabarb]

Sharon, yes the wax candy...little pop bottles that you bit the top off and drank the liquid. I loved chewing that wax. I made popcorn balls and gave them out to just the neighbor kids on year, probably late '80s. Karo syrup was the only option.

[Zana]

I just make a bowl of it and munch on it and skip the making the balls if just for me. But now that you've got me thinking and jonesing for some I'll be making some tonight, Worth.

And I make my popcorn in a large pot too. Have never really like nuking it in a microwave...way too much salt.

[SharonRossy]

Oh the memories! Looks yummy!I still remember the red popcorn ball maker my mom used. I had a friend in high school whose family owned KaramelKorn. The smell of the Karamelkorn was so delicious! We'd eat it till we got sick.
Zana, we are probably the same vintage! You too Worth.
I always make my own popcorn. I prefer the white kernels which i have to buy when I go to the states as they don' t sell the white kernels here. bummer!
And yes, Worth, it took a lot of work to make those popcorn balls for Halloween.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Oh the memories! Looks yummy!I still remember the red popcorn ball maker my mom used. I had a friend in high school whose family owned KaramelKorn. The smell of the Karamelkorn was so delicious! We'd eat it till we got sick.
Zana, we are probably the same vintage! You too Worth.
I always make my own popcorn. I prefer the white kernels which i have to buy when I go to the states as they don' t sell the white kernels here. bummer!
And yes, Worth, it took a lot of work to make those popcorn balls for Halloween.

Sharron they just now stopped selling the white kernel popcorn in the store and are now down to one brand of popcorn in the bag.
The shelves are loaded with microwave popcorn and the over priced Orville stuff.
Ten years or so ago you could buy colored white yellow and even black.
This is so sad.
I still buy the bag and dump it in a quart jar.
If a person wanted they could then fill the jar with oil to the top of the corn.

[greyghost]

I saw this in a Gardener's Edge mailing today. It's very tempting since I
have a huge craving for popcorn balls all of a sudden. I bet a couple or
few of you could tweak the recipe some. I remember my Mom making
pop corn balls for Halloween when I was a child-that'd be 60 years ago.
I also remember walking home from the little country store in Ouaquaga,
NY chewing on those wax goodies bought from a wooden case with sliding
glass doors. It was a 2 mile walk and we'd find enough soda bottles along
the road to purchase the candy.

[SharonRossy]

We must be relatied, lol! Honestly, when my mother made popcorn balls for Halloween, I had no clue how much work she put into it, plus the caramel apples.... We all must be the same vintage as Zana said

Worth, you can order white popcorn kernels online, and you're right about finding it in the store, getting harder and harder. I found the mixed ones at Costco one time, purple, red, all colors in a bag, but they haven't had it since. And the organic white popcorn I bought at a Whole Foods in NYC is kind of blah compared to the Jolly Time (I mistakenly called it Jiffy before). There are a few out there. Don't know why it's so hard to find.

Anyways these days, popcorn is getting harder to digest, and I definitely don't need the calories of popcorn balls

Actually, we should start our own thread on memory lane junk food, lol! Still love chewing on those wax fingernails and lips. I can even smell them. That and fireballs... Wait what was the name of that taffy that came in a bar, OMG! I loved the vanilla ones, and Mallow Cups. Anyone remember Mallow Cups and saving the cards with the money? I always buy some when I go home to Syracuse when I can find it. Usually in the gift shop of a hospital, if that tells you anything...

[Zana]

Wouldn't surprise me as we're remembering a lot of the same junk food. But there are "regional" or "national" stuff that wasn't available outside of certain countries too.

For instance when I was living in the UK I'd be jonesing or Coffee Crisp chocolate bars. Same company over there....but they carried something called Toffee Crisp which was totally different so they didn't carry Coffee Crisp in the UK. Nor did they carry Toffee Crisp in Canada. Not sure they had Coffee Crisp in the US either. Sadly now I can't eat them, or I'll pay for it later.

Mum gave up on making popcorn balls by the time the 4th or 5th kid came....too much work. Besides it wasn't just our kids....we'd share with the neighbourhood. All the kids in the neighbourhood knew that you could find popcicles in bulk at our house in the summers...hell, all year round since my Dad loved them, and bought them by the carton....and usually 2 or 3 at a time. God forbid you took the last one! Best to leave that for Dad. LOL I can remember when he'd give us a $2 bill and we'd walk up to the store and come back with 2 cartons of 20 popcicles each....a mix of flavours.

My Mum's Mum used to make hers like crackerjacks...with peanuts mixed into the popcorn. From what I gather she used to make it in huge quantity and sell the popcorn balls in her corner store in Hamilton, ON....especially around Hallowe'en.

[coronabarb]

I'm enjoying the memories of candies of long ago. I think it would be better to start this thread in the 2cents area so others can join in. Most folks wouldn't expect to find this in a tomato recipes area ;-)

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by coronabarb

I'm enjoying the memories of candies of long ago. I think it would be better to start this thread in the 2cents area so others can join in. Most folks wouldn't expect to find this in a tomato recipes area ;-)

Right!!!

Worth