The Best Popcorn In The World...

When it comes to popcorn, I am a master. I make stove top popcorn with oil. It is not low-fat. It tastes really, really good.

You will need:
Popcorn (the kind that comes in a bag or a bottle),
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

A large pot with a handle
A nice fitting lid
A stove
A Paper Bag, preferable with Handles
A nice big Popcorn Bowl
Paper towels

Go ahead and set everything up on the counters, so that it is all within reach. This process goes really fast and you will not have time to open a cupboard.

You shouldn't measure anything with official measuring devices. That is crazy and you will never learn to just throw stuff into the pot and make popcorn in 3 minutes or less on the stove.

So, put the pot on the stove. Turn the stove on high. I always use the gas range. I do not know how an electric range works. If you have an electric range, you should know how it works and make the appropriate changes.

Immediately, pour the Canola Oil in the bottom of the pot. Coat the bottom of the pot.

Shake in the popcorn kernals. Enough that there is nearly a full SINGLE layer of popcorn kernals on the bottom of the pan, but not super-crowded together. Do not crowd your kernals... You don't like to be crowded, right? It's the same for your kernals.

Make sure by shaking things around that the oil is coating your popcorn. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Don't drown your kernals. You don't like to drown, right? It's the same for your kernals. ;-)

Cover with the lid and stand there and wait patiently for the kernals to pop open and miracolousy, without the aid of a microwave, become popcorn.

Shake up your popcorn. The goal of the shaking is to make the kernals go to the bottom of the pot and leave the first popped kernals at the top. You do not have to shake constantly, but you can, if it makes you feel more in control.

Listen.

Listen to your popcorn. It will tell you when it is done, by stopping to pop.

Immediately dump your entire pot of popcorn into a brown paper bag. Drizzle some olive oil on it---not too much---then shake the bag. Add some salt. Shake the bag. Add some freshly ground pepper----not a lot, it just makes the olive oil taste better.

Taste your popcorn. If it needs more oil/salt/pepper, add that. Then taste it again. Perfect? Good. Now, dump it into a big bowl or several bowls---whichever you prefer and eat it up. Yum. Serve with paper towels.