Kettle corn is salty-sweet perfection. It is deeeeeeelicious. And it impresses people. Maybe they don’t know how easy it is?

All you need is a big, heavy bottomed pot, two oven mitts, popcorn, oil, sugar and salt. You heat the oil, add the kernels, sprinkle with sugar, close the lid and… SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE!

Shake it shake shake shake it shake it like a Polaroid picture.

Be very careful at first, the caramelized sugar is very hot and very sticky. Danger.

But do sprinkle it right away with salt to take advantage of the stickiness. The popcorn gets better and better as it cools and the sugar forms a very thin crispy layer.

You can add more sugar if you like a thicker crispy sugar layer…

Pardon me for keeping this short. I have been spending loooong days in front of a computer screen as of late, and my poor, strained eyes can’t take much more. If they could talk they would be moaning, “sunlight… please… give us sunnnnliiiight….”.

And really, the kettle corn speaks for itself: Comfort. Food.

Your friends will love you.

You might make new friends.

Your dog will love it, too. (Hmm, maybe that’s why he’s been puking all day?)

Just make it, okay?

kettle corn

• 1/4 cup canola oil

• 1/2 cup popping corn

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• salt, to taste

Drop 3 kernels of popping corn into the oil in a large heavy-bottomed, lidded pot over medium-high heat. Close the lid and wait till you hear three pops.

Quickly add remaining popping corn and sprinkle with sugar. Close the lid once again, and, wearing oven mitts, give it a good shake.

Cook, shaking the pot regularly, until there are more than a few seconds between pops. Remove from heat and leave lid on until popping stops completely.

Sprinkle with salt and stir with a big spoon. Be careful, as you are dealing with very hot sugar. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.