Popcorn in London

My cousin Erlis is a social worker in London, where he has lived for many years with his German wife Gesine.

In a conversation at the Miller reunion I learned that he is faithfully maintaining a time-honored Miller tradition: stowing away great quantities of popcorn. It's not a common snack in his social circle, but whenever he makes popcorn for friends, they are surprised at how good it is.

I quizzed him. Special secrets? What oil? What salt? Special popper? No. Regular. Regular. No. Just a plain kettle, regular oil, regular salt, regular popcorn.

I asked him whether he's ever tried the Lady Finger popcorn they sell at Glenn's Bulk Foods. He said no, and added that he'll have to go by and get some while he's in Kansas. "You may have forever ruined my enjoyment of regular popcorn," he added as an afterthought, grinning.

I hope not. I like to picture Erlis, in their little flat in London, serving up great regular Miller-type popcorn to skeptical, then impressed, English friends.

Europeans thought for a long time that corn was good only for livestock feed. This side of the pond saw the first and best use of corn for human nutrition. It would be a shame not to get some mileage out of that.

Native Americans first introduced popcorn to immigrants from Europe. Today they have a counterpart in Erlis, who is still introducing popcorn to Europeans, over there, this time, instead of here. I hope they continue to be suitably impressed.