Pop till you drop this National Popcorn Day

January 19 is National Popcorn Day. This quick and easy snack has been a family favourite for centuries, but do you know all there is to know about it?

Here are some interesting facts about popcorn for you to chomp on:

1. In ancient times, people would make popcorn by heating sand in a fire and then stirring kernels of corn in the hot sand.
   
2. Americans eat more popcorn than any other country. Most of the popcorn eaten around the world is grown in the United States.
   
3. Popcorn kernels come in three shapes: rice, pearl, and South American. Most commercial popcorn is the pearl type.
   
4. Unpopped popcorn kernels are called “spinsters” or “old maids.” Quality popcorn should produce 98% popped kernels with under 2% being spinsters.
   
5. The world’s largest popcorn ball was 3,7 metres in diameter and weighed 2,268 kilograms. It required 907 kilograms of corn, a whopping 18,143 kilograms of sugar, 1,059 litres of corn syrup, and 1,514 litres of water.
   

A sweet shop in South Tampa, Florida is really getting into the spirit this National Popcorn Day, offering a large variety of flavours including chicken and waffle, and apple pie!

What is the most adventurous popcorn flavour you have ever tried?

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