Why do we eat popcorn at the movies? - Andrew Smith

譯者: 穎君 紀 審譯者: Helen Chang

Soft percussion and a toasty scent mark the violent transformation

輕柔的敲擊聲，帶有溫度的焦香， 為劇烈的變形拉開序幕，

of tough seeds into cloud-like puffs.

堅硬的果仁變成像雲一般蓬鬆的小球。

This is the almost magical process of popcorn-making.

過程有如魔法，將玉米粒變成爆米花。

But how did we actually end up with this whimsical food?

我們是怎麼發現這美妙的點心呢？

All the corn eaten today is derived from a tall grass called teosinte,

如今我們吃下的所有玉米都源自 這種高高的植物，叫做大芻草，

which Indigenous people in what is now southern Mexico

住在現在的墨西哥南部的原住民們

began selectively breeding about 9,000 years ago.

在約九千年前開始選擇育種這株植物。

An ear of teosinte originally yielded somewhere between 5 and 12 small kernels,

一束大芻草的穗子原本能產出 五到十二顆小果仁，

each with a hard shell called a pericarp.

每顆果仁都有一層叫果皮的硬殼包覆。

And some varieties had a fantastic feature:

有些品種有個很棒的特色：

if they reached a certain temperature, their kernels exploded.

達到一定溫度時，果仁會爆開。

Popcorn kernels pop because water and starch

爆米花粒會爆開的原因是水和澱粉

are sealed tightly within the pericarp.

被緊緊鎖在果皮裡面。

When heated, the moisture inside becomes steam.

加熱時，裡面的水分轉為蒸氣，

As it expands, it increases the internal pressure

蒸氣膨脹，增加內部壓力，

and the solid starch transforms into a gel-like substance.

使固體的澱粉轉變成像膠一般的物質，

The pressure finally overcomes the pericarp’s resistance and it bursts—

最後，內部壓力超過果皮的承受限度， 讓果皮爆裂開來，

the steam and starch expanding to form a foam

蒸氣和澱粉膨脹，形成一種泡沫，

that quickly cools and dries in the air.

在空氣裡迅速冷卻、乾燥。

From this small-scale explosion also rush forth the compounds

爆裂的同時，一種化合物也向外散播，

that give popcorn its powerful aroma.

讓爆米花散發濃郁的香味。

Ancient Indigenous American people cultivated other maize varieties

以前的美國原住民還栽培別種玉米，

with larger, more flavorful kernels and thinner pericarps.

它們的果仁更大，果皮更薄，味道更強。

But the hard-shelled, poppable variety also persisted

但硬殼且會爆破的品種也被留存，

and spread through parts of the Americas.

散播到美國的各個地方。

By the time European colonizers arrived in the late 1400s,

歐洲殖民者們來到這裡的 1400 年代，

Indigenous American people were preparing and eating corn in myriad manners.

美國原住民們已經有了 千百種調理、食用玉米的方法。

Popcorn wasn’t a major part of their diets.

爆米花不常出現在他們的正餐中，

But it popped up in European accounts,

但出現在了歐洲人的記載，

which described the preparation of “toasted” or “parched” corn

記錄了「烤玉米仁」 或「乾燥玉米仁」的調理方法，

and its use in some Aztec feasts and celebrations.

用在阿茲特克大餐或慶典場合裡。

Despite initial reluctance,

雖然最初會有抗拒感，

colonizers eventually began cultivating— and popping— corn.

但殖民者們最後還是開始 種植玉米，爆爆米花。

The methods they used at first were inconsistent and messy.

他們最初做爆米花的做法 既不一致又不整潔，

But with the invention of “wire over the fire” baskets around 1837,

不過自從 1837 年左右發明出 能直接放在火上爆爆米花的鐵線籃子，

the process got easier.

這過程就變簡單了。

Soon, popcorn picked up steam

不久，爆米花的人氣就蒸蒸日上，

and exploded with a reputation as a low-cost, entertaining snack.

成為以便宜、有趣為主打的爆紅點心。

Over the following decades,

接下來幾十年，

it became a mainstay at events and hundreds of recipes materialized,

爆米花成了活動的常駐美食， 及食譜書的常客，

mixing popcorn with sweet and savory ingredients.

讓爆米花與甜和鹹交織出不同風味。

But popcorn hadn't yet reached its height.

但這還不是爆米花的巔峰時期。

At the 1893 World’s Fair, an inventor showcased the first popcorn machine:

1893 年的世界博覽會， 有位發明家展示他開發的爆米花機，

a wagon that tossed popcorn in seasoning as it cooked.

一台會讓爆米花掉進調味料裡， 確保品質一致性的販賣車。

Soon enough, vendors could be seen roving US city streets with similar machines.

不久，小販們就在美國城市裡 推著這台車子趴趴走。

Interestingly, movie theaters were some of the only American venues

有趣的是，當時電影院是少數

where you wouldn’t find popcorn at the time.

不會見到爆米花的地方。

Many cinema operators saw their establishments

許多電影院營運商認為

as part of a grand theater tradition at odds with popcorn—

悠久高尚的戲院傳統 與爆米花水火不容—

what they considered a messy, low-brow street food.

因為他們覺得爆米花是 庸俗不入流的街頭小吃。

However, when the Great Depression hit in 1929,

然而，1929年，經濟大蕭條襲來，

movies provided the public with a welcome distraction.

電影成了民眾排解憂愁的好工具，

And they had recently gone from being silent and subtitled to acquiring sound,

且電影剛從附有字幕的默片， 轉變成有聲的電影，

making them accessible to a wider audience,

讓大眾更容易理解電影內容，

including non-literate people.

包括不識字的人。

At about five or ten cents a bag,

一包只要 5 到 10 分錢，

popcorn proved an inexpensive luxury for moviegoers,

爆米花成了觀眾們的平價奢侈品，

so theater operators pounced on the money-making opportunity.

於是電影院運營商 便緊緊掌握這賺錢的良機。

Today, a medium bag of popcorn might cost about 60 cents to make,

現在，中包爆米花只需 60 分錢製作，

but retail for around $6— a 1,000% markup.

卻以 6 美元販售— 整整翻了 100 倍。

Popcorn sales generate nearly 40% of all movie theater profits,

爆米花的銷售額佔 所有電影院總收入的近 4 成，

helping to offset the high prices that theaters pay film studios.

幫電影院填補向電影工作室 付出高額後的財務空洞。

Over the last century, people throughout the Americas continued popping corn,

上個世紀，美國的人們就這樣 一直爆爆米花，爆個不停，

and different preparations took hold in markets worldwide.

不同調理方式也在 各國市場裡逐漸定型。

When microwavable popcorn was launched in the 1980s,

可微波的爆米花在 1980 年代開賣時，

popcorn popped off yet again.

爆米花又再一次爆紅。

Dozens of kinds of popcorn are now grown in the US.

現在，美國農田裡種植著 幾十種不同的玉米，

Different strains assume distinctive shapes when their kernels explode,

不同品種的玉米，在爆破時會呈現 不同的爆米花形狀，

most commonly taking so-called “mushroom” and “butterfly” forms.

最常見的有「蘑菇型」和「蝴蝶型」，

And they’ve been bred for supreme poppability.

它們都被配種成很能爆的品種。

Over the last century, the amount that popcorn expands has doubled:

上個世紀內，爆米花 能膨脹的體積翻倍，

now, kernels can reach up to 50 times their original size upon popping.

現在的果仁能膨脹到 原體積的五十倍大。

Not to be corny, but popcorn’s come a long way.

不免俗地說，爆米花 真的走了很長一段路。

This video was made possible with support from Marriott Hotels.

這支影片由萬豪酒店贊助播出。

With over 590 hotels and resorts across the globe,

萬豪酒店在全球設有 超過 590 間酒店及度假村，

Marriott Hotels celebrates the curiosity that propels us to travel.

萬豪酒店重視驅使人們旅行的好奇心。

Check out some of the exciting ways TED-Ed and Marriott are working together

來看看 TED-Ed 與萬豪酒店 有哪些有趣的合作方式，

and book your next journey at Marriott Hotels.

並考慮看看下次旅行時 預約一間萬豪酒店的房間吧。