Today has felt like the longest day EVAAAAA. I guess it does not help when you tossed and turned all night, laid in bed from 1:00-2:00/2:30 am thinking about everything, started your day at 4:00 am with seeing an early morning personal training client, been to the dentist, had a telehealth call, and, now, sit here and hope to produce something awesome. I hope your day is feeling a whole lot better! One thing that did bring me back to life was making this Old Bay Roasted Popcorn I am sharing with you today!

I mentioned this the other day but, literally, there is a “National Day” for pretty much everything and anything. It’s so crazy! Today just happens to be “National Popcorn Day,” so I felt like I should follow suit. I could not tell you the last time I made popcorn and, I can say this much, it, DEFINITELY, was not the unsalted, organic version that I used for this recipe. Gosh, to be a kid again! I got the inspiration after seeing a local restaurant tout their pan roasted popcorn, which looked to be runneth over with butter and Parmesan.

Since Baltimore is my hometown, I thought Old Bay should be in the mix AND, wait for it, DUCK FAT. There is something very bougie about duck fat – don’t ask me why – but when you pair it with Old Bay, you have a winning roasted popcorn combination. All you need is a Natty Boh, or very Baltimore brew, and you have one hell of a snack.

Let me quickly give you the specifics on what I used before you try yourself! First, I am still not sure how some can perfect popcorn to the point of absolutely no kernels and it looking PERFECT. I mean, no dark spots no nada. Since I have been out of the popcorn game for awhile, I stopped by Mom’s Organic Market to see what they had in stock. I picked up the only brand they had – Cadia Organic & Unsalted, and, honestly, it worked just great.

Next up, the Old Bay seasoning! This one was easy since I keep this one on hand at all times. If you don’t live in Baltimore, Old Bay goes way beyond crabs. You can use it to steam shrimp, season chicken, add into a dip, use as a garnish, etc. The possibilities are endless! Finally, the infamous duck fat. While my preferred brand is Epic (actually, there are many brands that are great), it can be hard to come by, and I was on a bit of a time crunch so I could not order. Luckily, Wegmans came to the rescue! The D’Artagnan rendered duck fat worked beautifully and, come to find out, they have an amazing selection of meats, duck, poultry, fois gras, caviar, truffles, etc.

This recipe is so incredibly versatile so add what you like! Swap out the Old Bay for your favorite spices/herbs, add Parmesan cheese, whatever strikes your fancy! If you do make, my sure to tag me @janineserioofficial on Instagram & Facebook! I would love to see your creations! And how cute are those printed popcorn holders?!?!

Cheers to “National Popcorn Day,” and feeling like sophisticated big kid! Yes, leather – okay, “faux crocodile”– top and all! Ha!

xoxo