reaches and passes the boiling point, the protein matrix and starch granules soften, and moisture in the granules turns into steam The steam softens the starch even more, and the many thousands of little steam pockets exert a growing pressure against the hull The softening of starch and protein continues until the internal pressure approaches seven times the external pressure of the atmosphere, at which point the hull breaks open The sudden pressure drop inside the kernel causes the pockets of steam to expand, and with them expands the soft protein-starch mixture, which puffs up and then stiffens as it cools off, becoming light and crisp (If the popping is done in a tightly covered pan that offers no escape for the water vapor, the endosperm will retain it and be tough and chewy; the pan lid should be left slightly ajar.) Popcorn pops best at a temperature around 380ºF/190ºC, and can be popped in hot oil, in hot air poppers, and in the microwave oven Different hybrids pop best with different methods Microwave popcorn bags develop the necessary high temperatures by means of a thin layer of microwave-reflecting mylar Dry-milled Corn Foods: Grits, Cornmeal, Corn Flour Most corn is prepared and eaten in ground form, and dry-milled products are ground directly from the stored grain, usually yellow dent corn, without any pretreatment These days they’re generally refined to exclude the hull and germ, an innovation that dates from around 1900 and that made largescale milling practical The rarer whole-grain corn meal and flour, sometimes ground between stone wheels, are richer in fiber, flavor, and nutrients, but also stale rapidly thanks to the oils and related substances in the germ, which become oxidized on contact with air Grits are relatively coarse corn endosperm particles between 0.6 and 1.2 mm across ... ground directly from the stored grain, usually yellow dent corn, without any pretreatment These days they’re generally refined to exclude the hull and germ, an innovation that dates from around 1900 and that... Microwave popcorn bags develop the necessary high temperatures by means of a thin layer of microwave-reflecting mylar Dry-milled Corn Foods: Grits, Cornmeal, Corn Flour Most corn is prepared and eaten in ground form, and. .. largescale milling practical The rarer whole-grain corn meal and flour, sometimes ground between stone wheels, are richer in fiber, flavor, and nutrients, but also stale rapidly thanks to the oils and related substances in the