Corn nut facts for kids
Cancha in Peru
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| Course | Snack |
|---|---|
| Region or state | South America |
| Associated national cuisine | Peru, Ecuador |
| Ingredients generally used | Roasted or deep-fried corn kernels |
Corn nuts are a crunchy snack made from corn kernels. They are also known as toasted corn. These tasty kernels are usually roasted or deep-fried until they become hard and crispy. In Peru, this snack is called cancha, and in Ecuador, it is known as chulpi. People enjoy them as a satisfying and flavorful snack.
Contents
How Corn Nuts Are Made
To make corn nuts, whole corn kernels are first soaked in water for about three days. This soaking helps the kernels get back to their original size. Corn kernels can shrink a bit after being harvested and cleaned. After soaking, the kernels are deep-fried in oil. They are cooked until they become very hard and brittle. This cooking process gives them their famous crunch!
The Story of Corn Nuts
The crunchy snack we know as corn nuts was first introduced in the United States in 1936. A man named Albert Holloway from Oakland, California, started selling them. He first called them Olin's Brown Jug Toasted Corn. He sold them to owners of taverns (like pubs). These owners would give the corn nuts away for free to their customers. They were seen as a great snack to enjoy with drinks.
Different Kinds of Corn Nuts
CornNuts Brand
Albert Holloway later changed the name of his product to CornNuts. He and his sons, Maurice and Rich, learned about a special type of corn. This corn was grown in Cusco, Peru. It had very large kernels, some even bigger than a quarter coin!
The company spent ten years researching. They wanted to create a new type of corn. This new corn would be a mix of the large Peruvian corn and corn that could grow well in California. In 1964, they started selling CornNuts made with this new, bigger corn. However, the CornNuts sold today are no longer as large as the original Cusco corn variety.
Holloway's family company owned the popular CornNuts brand for many years. Then, in 1998, a company called Nabisco bought it. Later, Cornnuts became a registered trademark of Kraft Foods. In 2021, Kraft sold the Corn Nuts brand to Hormel Foods. Today, Corn Nuts come in several flavors. These include Original, Ranch, BBQ (barbecue-flavored), Chile Picante con Limon, Nacho, and Jalapeño Cheddar.
Cornick from the Philippines
A type of corn nut from the Philippines is called cornick (Filipino: kornik). Compared to the American version, cornick pieces are usually smaller. They are also often crispier. The most common flavor for cornick is Garlic. Other popular flavors include chili cheese, adobo, barbecue, lechón manok (roasted chicken), and sweet. Some well-known brands are Boy Bawang (which means "Garlic Boy" in Tagalog), Corn Bits, and Safari.
A special kind of cornick is called chichacorn. It is lighter and a bit like chicharrón. This type uses sticky corn from the Ilocos Region. Before frying, the corn is treated with lime. This helps it puff up a little when cooked.
Diana Cornbits from Central America
Diana is a snack company in El Salvador. They make their own type of corn-nut-like snacks. In Spanish, these are called elotitos or cornbits. They come in different flavors. These include Lemon, Cheese and Chili, and Barbecue. These snacks are sold all over Central America.
Corn Nuts in Spain
In Spain, corn nuts are a popular snack. They are known by several names. These include maíz tostado ("toasted corn"), maíz frito ("fried corn"), quicos ("Frankies"), and pepes ("Joes"). The most common flavor is very salty. However, barbecue flavor is also available. Recently, crushed corn nuts have started to be used. They are sometimes used as a crunchy coating for foods that are being battered and fried.
See also
In Spanish: Cancha serrana para niños
