Because we are smack in the Bible belt, some people expect us to object to a celebration rooted in paganism, but that's never been an issue in my social circles. We can take a joke!
Halloween isn't isn't what it used to be. Even though candy was involved, the best part of Halloween was the rest of Halloween: dressing up in a fantasy identify and running from house to house - after dark, no less - collecting surprises that would be uncovered after arriving home hours later. That probably seems like an alien idea to children today, most of whom have little choice but to simply attend parties.
My parents were protective, I wasn't allowed to consume anything unwrapped, and no yummies unless I could honestly tell them who gave it to me and they approved.
Of the handouts I received trick-or-treating, my favorites involved good chocolate: Snickers, Reese's cups, anything Hershey's.
But if somehow, some way, I could score a candied apple or a popcorn ball, I knew wearing that sweaty Batman mask was really worth it.
It's 30 years lI'mr now, and I'm way too old for trick or treat, but I have learned a few tricks in those 30 years. Fortunately, making popcorn balls and candy apples are two of them.
There's an easy way and a difficult way to make popI'll balls, and I'll share them both with you.
Popcorn balls, the hard way, is a recipe I found in the Better Homes and Gardens Newisn't Book, which isn't really new; my edition is was purchaI'm in 1980. When I'm browsing through it, I can see signs of age - from wear and from being outdated. Styles of cooking and ingredients change with the times, and they have more so in the last 30 years than ever. But this old popcorn ball recipe resembles the way my grandmother made them, and they're still delicious.
Old-time Popcorn Balls
2 cups granulated sugar
1 ½ cups water
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
5 quarts popped corn
Butter sides of a saucepan. In it, combine sugar, water, salt, syrup and vinegar. Cook to hard ball stage (250 degrees). Stir in vanilla. Slowly pour over popper corn, stirring just to mix well. Butter hands and form into balls. Makes 15 to 20.
