Hot buttered popcorn becomes sublime when paired with a fizzy glass of sparkling wine. You’ll find the savory popcorn perfect with any dry sparkling wine; the Five-Spice Popcorn variation is a better fit for a sweeter dry or demi sec style wine such as Chandon Riche or your favorite Moscato d’Asti.
Makes 6 cups
- 1 bag good quality microwave popcorn
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
Prepare the popcorn according to the manufacturer’s instructions, being careful not to burn it. Open the bag, avoiding the hot steam, and pour it in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle popcorn with melted butter, cheese and garlic salt. Serve at once.
Variations:
Spicy Popcorn
Omitting the Parmesan cheese and black pepper, sprinkle popcorn instead with 2 teaspoons of togarashi spice mix along with butter and garlic salt. Togarashi is a Japanese seven-spice blend available at Asian markets or in the Asian product aisle of most grocery stores.
Truffled Popcorn
Omitting the garlic salt; add 1/2 teaspoon black truffle oil to the butter before drizzling it over the popcorn. Easy does it; a little truffle oil goes a long way!
5-Spice Popcorn
Omitting the Parmesan cheese, garlic salt and pepper, drizzle popcorn with the melted butter along with 1 teaspoon of Chinese Five-Spice Powder and 1 tablespoon light brown sugar or more to taste.
By Maria C. Hunt, author of The Bubbly Bar: Champagne and Sparkling Wine Cocktails for Every Occasion Published August 2009 by Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House
