Curry popcorn, no less
Sans bananafish, J.D. Salinger with his sister, Doris
Some flava in ya ear (if you read this aloud.) I mean, seriously, a lot of flava. J.D. Salinger’s recipe for popcorn (I hope the measure for the popcorn itself represents the amount of unpopped kernels). This was a small contribution to the exhibit of personal items from his archives at the New York Public Library. The salutary effect of the exhibit was to bring into relief how happy, if not blissful, Salinger’s life was in Cornish. He liked him some Hitchcock. He loved spending time with his grandkids. He read books about spies and kept the Associated Press Stylebook on a shelf in his bedroom. He could write letters like nobody’s business. And, OK, he was a little weird, but the weirdness was at the heart of how great he was, and, besides, aren’t we all, a little? It was cool to learn that had a Chevy Blazer, from way back close to when GM started to market them, to haul the firewood he cut.
For 1/2 cup of popcorn:
6 tsps sea salt
2 tsps paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp celery powder
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp marjoram
1/2 tsp curry
1/2 tsp dill powder
J.D. Salinger’s recipe is for 1/2 cup total seasoning; it is NOT for 1/2 cup of popcorn. Six tablespoons of salt to one-half cup of popcorn would be WAY too much. The article’s author misinterpreted the recipe. Salinger DID NOT specify that this was for 1/2 cup of popcorn. The original recipe may be seen at: https://gothamist.com/arts-entertainment/photos/jd-salinger-nypl-exhibit?image=8. Salinger used “tsps” to designate tablespoon, so there are 8 tablespoons (that is, 1/2 cup) total of main ingredients plus some additional flavorings (dry mustard, garlic powder, etc). This is a bulk recipe for seasoning, which may be kept in a sealed jar.
My recipe: after air-popping 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels, I will add 1/4 cup of oil (I prefer 1/8 cup olive oil and 1/8 cup melted butter), and 1 teaspoon salt (or J.D. Salinger’s popcorn seasoning). 1/4 cup of grated cheese (e.g., Parmesan) is also a nice addition.
I hope that this is helpful.
Thanks for the elucidation!