I admit, for a long time, I didn’t know how easy it was to make popcorn on the stove. You don’t need an air popper or any fancy equipment. Just a pot, some oil, and a lid. The lid is crucial. Otherwise, you’d be using your oven mitt like a baseball glove and catching all the kernels like fly balls as they popped out of the pan, which is a cheap game you can play someday if you’re bored.

The cool thing about stove top popcorn is that if you have a glass lid, you can watch the kernels pop inside. You know how there’s always a couple kernels in a bag of microwave popcorn that didn’t pop? Not here, my friend. Not here.

FAQs
Where do I get heirloom popcorn?
I found a bag of McClendon’s kernels perched next to the turnips at the farmers market.

What is browned butter and why is it so special?
It just means cooking the butter until it turns, well brown, which imparts a nutty flavor onto it.

RECIPE
1/2 c heirloom popcorn kernels
1/2 c butter
2 sprigs worth of fresh sage leaves
sea salt

1. In a deep pot, melt a stick of butter over medium heat until it bubbles and looks like it’s about to turn a little brown when you swirl it. It will continue to brown throughout the cooking process, so don’t get it too brown right now. “Remember we’re looking for browned butter not burnt butter,” my chef teacher would say.
2. Toss in the sage leaves and shake the pot to coat the leaves.
3. After about a minute or so, remove the leaves, and place on some paper towels. Once they dry a bit, they should be nice and crispy, like popcorn…
4. Add the popcorn kernels and shake to coat with butter. Cover with a lid. After a few minutes, they’ll start to pop. Once they’re all popped, turn off the heat. Toss in some sea salt and serve.