Popcorn for supper during the Great Depression.

I was in the sixth grade. About 11. I was living in a home with my Dad and my brother Warren. Warren was four years older than I and was gone a lot. I was home alone most of the rime. At eleven years old I did not wonder the streets much.

I was hungry a lot. Not much food in the house. I had several adventures cooking for myself that stay in my memory.

A big success was walnut brittle. I melted sugar in a cast iron skillet. I would stir in lots of chopped walnuts. My home town, Pomona, California had miles of walnut orchards. The walnut brittle was delicious!

I would make pancakes (from scratch). I would make my syrup. The pancakes were not bad until I ran out of several vital ingredients. Ugh! very bad! Ever make pancakes from paste?

Once I heard of a field of popcorn south of town. The small field of corn seemed to be deserted. I picked corn that was very dry. I could roll off the kernels from the cob with my hands. I would pop the corn in the same cast iron skillet I used for the walnut brittle. The popcorn was delicious and filling.

I often have popcorn for dinner today. By choice.