Have you ever heard the word “Pochoclo”?

What do you imagine “pochoclo” is? I am sure that everybody has ever tried them. They are best known as the famous POPCORN, now you are more familiar with this term, aren’t you?

They are originated in pre-Columbian America. When the Spanish came to America, they were greeted by natives who offered them necklaces made with them. For example, in 1510, Hernán Cortés and his men were surprised by some strange amulets carrying by the Aztec priests in the ceremonies. The ornaments were made with strings of popcorn.

This was known in the New World 6,000 years ago. The American Indian observed that only in the pan exploded the grains containing a certain amount of water. Today we know that corn should be 14 percent of water by heat to vaporize and break the shell of the grain. The result is a mass of fluffy white flowers which are also known as corn, popcorn (as I said before) or Pororo, derived from the Guarani word that means “violent noise”.

The Indians prepared them in three different ways: the first one they inserted a cob on a stick and roasted on the fire and then picked up the grains which were exploded. The second one another technique was to separate the beans and throw them directly into the fire. The third way of making popcorn was to put to the fire a big bowl of sand grain inside that, when heated, popping corn. One relevant thing is that the first machines specially designed for the manufacture of popcorn appeared in 1880.