Sometimes, popcorn just needs extra pop.

That’s why, several times a week, movie patrons at Southwind 12 Theatres order their popcorn covered in jalapeños.

“It’s actually not bad,” says Jon Ratzlaff, manager of the theater at 3433 Iowa. “We also have people who order popcorn and put Milk Duds in it, or M&Ms.”

While jalapeños and candy might not traditionally be tied to popcorn, the big screen and kernels certainly have a long history.

So when movie stars gather Sunday for the Academy Awards, popcorn lovers will be using the event as an excuse to pop up some of their favorite treat.

“It’s just tradition,” Ratzlaff says. “We sell more popcorn than anything else. It seems to be a constant – for a lot of people, it’s the thing they need to make it a complete experience.”

Popcorn has been a movie mainstay as long as there have been theaters.

However, according to the National Agricultural Library, popcorn consumption dropped in the 1950s when Americans started getting televisions and didn’t go to the movies as often. Trade groups had to convince people that eating popcorn at home was just as good as eating it at the theater, a concept that especially caught on after microwave ovens became popular.

Today, Americans eat more than 17 billion quarts of popcorn a year, or 54 quarts per person.

They’re always packing away the popcorn at the Red Lyon Tavern, 944 Mass., where owner Jerry Neverve says he buys 75 pounds of popcorn a month.

“The kids are highly infatuated with it, mostly because it’s free,” Neverve says. “It’s crunchy, it’s salty, and it gives you something to do with your hands when you can’t smoke.”

Neverve used to give away peanuts when he owned Kansas Sports Bar in the basement of the Eldridge Hotel, but that eventually got expensive.

Now, he pops popcorn in coconut oil – “It’s bad for you and delicious,” he says – and offers salt and Tabasco sauce as toppings.

“They sprinkle it on there liberally, which I like because it makes their lips burn and makes them thirsty,” Neverve says of the Tabasco. “American cuisine these days is big on peppers and heat.”

If you’re not into Tabasco – or even butter, salt or caramel, for that matter – the Popcorn Board, an industry group, offers a variety of other seasonings. Those range from pesto sauce and Cajun spices to curried popcorn and Tex-Mex spices.

Harry Cook never got into those fancy popcorn styles. He often eats it plain, but occasionally with some salt.

Cook has grown popcorn on his land in North Lawrence for more than 20 years. He used to sell it at the Lawrence Farmers Market but now mainly does it for himself and friends.

He says the home-grown popcorn is crispier and has a better natural flavor than most popcorn bought at stores. Some years, he can grow 2,000 pounds of popcorn, though the dry weather dropped that to a relatively minuscule 100 pounds last year.

“We just eat it straight; we don’t put butter on it,” Cook says. “We pop it on top of the stove, just like the old-fashioned stuff. With what I do, you’re getting fresh popcorn.”

Strawberry popcorn bars

4 cups popped popcorn

2 cups flour

1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces

1 egg white

1 (10 oz.) jar strawberry preserves

1 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch pan; set aside. Process flour and confectioners’ sugar in food processor several seconds. Add butter and process until dough comes together. Press mixture evenly into prepared pan. Lightly brush egg white on top of the mixture. Bake 25 minutes, or until golden. Immediately spread preserves evenly over warm crust. Press popcorn into preserves; let cool. Melt chocolate chips in small zip lock freezer bag. Heat in microwave 30 seconds, or until melted. Snip corner of bag and drizzle chocolate over cooled popcorn. Cool and cut into bars.

Source: www.popcorn.org

Caramel corn crunch

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

3 quarts popped popcorn

Cream butter; add brown sugar and whip until fluffy. In a large baking pan, combine popcorn. Mix in creamed mixture. Bake in 350-degree oven for about 8 minutes or until crisp. Serve warm if desired.

Source: www.popcorn.org

Peanut butter popcorn balls

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

3 tablespoons peanut butter

8 cups popped popcorn

1 cup candy-coated peanut candy (Reese’s Pieces)

Line a baking sheet or work surface with waxed paper; set aside. Stir sugar, corn syrup, butter and peanut butter together in a large saucepan. Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Stir in popcorn until well coated. Remove pan from heat and stir candy pieces gently into mixture. Allow mixture to cool just enough to allow handling. Using an ice cream scoop or buttered hands, shape mixture into 2-inch balls and place on waxed paper to cool. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.

Source: www.popcorn.org

Nacho-Cheese Popcorn

1/3 cup cooking oil

3 or 4 dried chilies

1 large clove garlic, cut into quarters

1 teaspoon cumin seed

1/3 cup unpopped popcorn

3 tablespoons hot oil

1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place cooking oil, chilies, garlic and cumin seed in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes; let stand 10 minutes. Strain. Use 3 tablespoons of seasoned oil for popping corn; reserve the rest. This makes about 2 1/2 quarts popped popcorn.

Pour remaining oil over popped popcorn, tossing to coat. Mix Parmesan cheese, paprika and salt. Sprinkle over popped popcorn, tossing to mix.

Source: www.popcorn.org