Corn Popper

Materials:
Piece of metal wire window screening, about 2’ square
Wire coat hanger

Tools:
Felt-tipped pen or crayon
Yardstick
Large scissors

Using a felt-tipped pen or crayon and a yardstick, draw an equilateral triangle (all 3 sides the same length) with each side about 18-24 inches long. Using a large pair of scissors, cut out the triangle, saving a piece of the scrap. Fold in about ½ inch along all 3 edges; you can do this with your fingers, using the yardstick as a guide, and being careful not to poke yourself on the prickly screen wires.

Lay the triangle flat, with the folded edges facing up, and, with the yardstick and marker, draw lines from the center of each side to the center of the next one, forming a smaller equilateral triangle in the center.

Carefully fold up each of the 3 corners of the large triangle, bending along the lines of the small triangle. Remove some of the wires from the screen scrap, and use them to fasten the sides together in a couple of places on each edge, but not too close to the top (since you’ll need to be able to pull the top back to get the popcorn in and out).
Form the wire coat hanger into a handle, and poke the hook end through 2 of the top triangle points.

To make popcorn, pull back the 3rd triangle point and add enough kernels to cover about half of the bottom of the basket. Do not use any cooking oil. Place a potholder around the handle, and hold the basket a few inches above the heat source (stove burner or campfire flames). IMPORTANT: continually shake the basket gently to keep the kernels moving around so as to heat and pop evenly without scorching. In about a minute, the first kernel should pop, and within a few more seconds you will see most of the kernels explode in the basket. Continue shaking the basket so that the already popped corn won’t burn and the unpopped kernels will fall to the bottom of the basket.

When the popping has slowed down and almost stopped, take the popper from the heat. Using potholders, carefully remove the handle, and open all 3 points to pour the popcorn into a bowl. You may wish to add melted butter and/or salt or another seasoning.
Your popper will cool quickly and does not need to be washed. It also makes some of the best-tasting popcorn you’ll ever eat!