Popcorn has been a popular snack food since ancient times, a product of the explosive expansion of kernels of heated corn, a variety of maize. A’maize’ingly, Americans consume some 13 billion quarts of this whole grain, good-for-you treat each year and popcorn is low in calories and healthier compared to many other snack foods. Students at a local elementary school are temporarily missing out on this ‘pop’ular snack food since their ancient popcorn popper is beyond repair.

Popcorn maker needed for ‘Healthy Snacks’

“Our popular ‘Healthy Snack Program’ at Dr. Crisp Elementary School in Nashua is in desperate need of a large, movie-theater size popcorn maker (Popcorn popper) to replace the one that had been faithfully serving us for years,” says Grace T. of Nashua, Dr. Crisp home-school coordinator (LTR 3,330). “Thanks to our many wonderful volunteers, the school’s Healthy Snack program fills between 280 to 300 bags of freshly-popped popcorn every Thursday throughout the year for students who have already pre-paid for this popular, healthy treat. Volunteers are already at work during the pre-down hours running the machine and filling bag after bag, but now our old machine has stopped running and needs to be replaced. We are hoping someone will be able to donate a large popcorn maker/popper since running a smaller machine making smaller quantities of popped corn will be far more time-consuming for our volunteers. Can someone people help us?”

During the early nineteenth century Americans tried several methods of popping popcorn. Some threw kernels in hot ashes, stirred, and sifted out the popped corn. Others tried cooking popcorn in kettles filled with fat, lard or

butter. A more popular method was cooking popcorn over an open fire in a wire box with a long wooden handle. The world’s first mobile, commercial, large-scale popcorn machine invented by American manufacturer, Charles Cretors, was introduced at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. Scientific American reported: “This machine … was designed with the idea of moving it about to any location where the operator would be likely to do a good business,” although the machine weighed between 400 and 500 pounds … hope at least two horses got to share the treat as well!

Anyone interested in helping Grace and the students at Dr. Crisp Elementary School enrolled in the Healthy Snack Program with a large popcorn maker should give her a call at 966-2111, Grace’s direct line which also goes to her email in case she’s out of the office. Help with a popcorn popper would be GREATLY appreciated!

Unique recipes found in latest cookbook find

“What turns up during my picking may turn up in Chris’ Mailbag, in this case a small collection of cookbooks filled with page after page of interesting recipes,” says Bert the Picker of Nashua (LTR 1,775). Assisting with some descriptions, The Well-filled Tortilla Cookbook has more than 200 traditional to surprising recipes including Seattle Salmon Tacos, Spicy Sesame Chicken Fajitas, and Tamale-Style Beef. A coffee-table size Tastes of the Times contains recipes for chicken, special sauces, side dishes, marinades, dressings, etc. from food service kitchens across America, a Tyson publication with color-coded triangles indicating whether best for take-out, lighter fare, kid friendly, and more. Cooking by the Calendar is a Family Weekly Cookbook, offering a generous serving of recipes for each month of the calendar year. The Easy 4 Ingredient Diabetic Cookbook has recipes for the person with diabetes, the low-carb dieter, or anyone interested in preparing healthy meals big on taste and short on prep time. Anyone interested in these cookbooks can reach Bert at 883-0990. Leave a message with a return phone number if no answer. He’ll get back to you!

Updates

– Bert the Picker of Nashua (LTR 1,775) says: “The Homedics Paraffin Wax Machine was picked up by Miriam of Merrimack.” Sure to come in handy since wintry-

weather can be especially hard on one’s hands.

Contact Chris’ Mailbag by emailing christine.graham33@gmail.com or sending mail to Chris’ Mailbag c/o The Telegraph, 110 Main St., Suite 1, Nashua 03060. Include full name and complete address, along with telephone number or email address for publication, if applicable. Items eligible for publication are for donation, trade or barter only; requests of items for sale or purchase will not be included.

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