If you want to say the most representative movie snacks, then many people will think of popcorn.

The connection between popcorn and movies actually began about 100 years ago. Popcorn was first sold in cinemas and soon became a trend.

When it comes to popcorn, start with corn. Corn began to be domesticated about 9000 years ago. In 2012, archaeologists unearthed the earliest evidence of popcorn in Peru.

Early popcorn may resemble charred corn, often made by cooking dried corn kernels in a frying pan.

The fluffy popcorn we are familiar with today comes from the hybridization of several different varieties of corn carefully cultivated for thousands of years. The ideal corn kernel moisture content should reach about 14%. When the corn kernels are heated, the moisture expands and eventually bursts into delicious popcorn.

The birthplace of modern popcorn is in the United States. Early American colonists learned to grow and cultivate corn, which was a staple food for hundreds of thousands of Americans for the next few centuries.

In the mid-19th century, corn was an important cash crop in the Midwest of the United States, known as "prairie gold".

At first, popcorn was made by putting corn kernels in a jar and then heating it to explode. By the early 19th century, a series of innovations appeared in popcorn.

At that time, a man named Frederick Miles in Kentucky applied for a patent for a popcorn machine. Later, another man named Charles Kratos invented an electric popcorn machine. A few years later, Charles improved the popcorn machine. It wasn't long before popcorn was commercially produced.

Next, the decoration and taste of popcorn also become rich. In 1892, a man named James in Utah applied for a patent for a machine that wrapped fresh popcorn in syrup, so that the popcorn could be packaged or boxed to better preserve the popcorn.

Frederick and Lewis Rückheim from Germany began selling small portions of popcorn made with a hand-held popcorn maker. In 1896, they invented a combination snack called "Cracker Jack", which consisted of crunchy popcorn and salted peanuts wrapped in molasses.

In the 20th century, there were more and more popcorn-related patents, which were either improving the equipment or the product itself. Popcorn has also become a popular snack, mainly at street fairs, sporting events and festivals. There is no cinema at this time.

From 1920 to 1930, the first wave of 20000 theaters opened in the United States, and the film industry flourished. In 1925, the number of weekly movie audiences in the United States reached 25 million.

But cinemas at that time took the "high-end" route, with many cinemas having halls modeled on those of the Grand Theater, covered with expensive blankets, and most cinemas banned from bringing snacks and sodas.

Until the late 1920 s, sound effects and music appeared in movies, and the film industry experienced a huge boom. In 1930, the number of weekly moviegoers in the United States soared to 90 million, ushering in the golden age of movies.

But as sound films replaced silent films, the film industry also shook, as some small or rural cinemas closed because they could not afford the new technology, and the surviving cinemas went down the "altar" with popcorn and soda.

With the advent of the Great Depression, the pressure on cinemas grew. Millions of Americans are facing economic crisis, and popcorn, which costs only 10 cents per bag, has become an affordable "luxury".

Forced to make a living, the cinema had to give in and began renting part of the hall to popcorn and other snack vendors.

It is said that at that time, vendors accumulated huge wealth by selling popcorn. At the time, an Oklahoma farmer bought back three farms with popcorn money, and a chain of stores selling popcorn avoided bankruptcy.

Cinemas also saw business opportunities and started selling popcorn themselves, and they even deliberately lowered the price of movie tickets to encourage guests to spend their money on other things-such as popcorn.

The tradition continues to this day, with some cinemas claiming steep price cuts, but their popcorn prices have risen by 800 to 1500 per cent. Popcorn machine has gradually become a fixed equipment in the cinema hall, which also leads many people to think of watching movies when they smell the aroma of popcorn.

By the 1940 s, Americans were starting to watch television, and popcorn sales began to turn to these home audiences.

In the 1980 s, microwave ovens became popular in American kitchens.

And this period just set off a fitness craze, popcorn is considered a relatively healthy snack.

In 1981, microwave popcorn was born. According to reports, in just two years, microwave popcorn has been on the market nationwide, with sales reaching $53 million. By 1984, packaged microwave popcorn was on store shelves, and sales were climbing again.

I have to mention the "natural butter seasoning", which contains dairy products (including butter) and two chemicals (diacetyl and acetone). This seasoning is put in oil to flavor microwave popcorn.

This is how pre-popped popcorn became popular. After that, the taste of popcorn became more and more innovative, and the popular popcorn was no longer traditional butter popcorn or salt popcorn, but mixed flavors such as cheese, chocolate or nutritional yeast.

In any case, Americans have become accustomed to popcorn, which is cheap and easy to make. As long as some corn kernels, plus some oil, you can get delicious popcorn by processing it on the stove for a few minutes.

Outside the United States, popcorn is also popular in its way. Some people think that its raw materials are healthy, and some people think that it is junk food, but those who like it still like it, and those who don't like it are also at a respectful distance......