Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen
Anabaptist communities throughout the American South and Midwest are among the last remaining U.S. producers of sorghum syrup, an earthy, nutty sweetener that had its heyday in the Civil War era. In this caramel corn recipe with sorghum syrup, Alline Anderson—who co-owns the Milkweed Mercantile, a solar-powered and straw-insulated bed-and-breakfast in Rutledge, Missouri—incorporates the nectar for its depth of flavor. She also folds in crisp, salty bacon to counterbalance the sweetness. Look for sorghum syrup at specialty grocers, or online.
Featured in “The Anabaptist Community Taught Me Everything I Know About Sorghum Syrup,” by Benjamin Brownlow.
Yield: 4 Time: 1 hour 30 minutes One 3.5-oz. bag plain microwave popcorn, popped (about 8 cups) 1½ cups cooked bacon, finely chopped 1 cup roasted unsalted peanuts 16 Tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing 2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar ½ cup sorghum syrup 1½ tsp. kosher salt 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla extract Instructions Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 250°F. In a large bowl, toss together the popcorn, bacon, and peanuts. In a large pot set over medium heat, melt the butter, then stir in the brown sugar, syrup,
