Give your kernels a kick

Think about this the next time you shell out $8 for a large tub at the movies: According to the experts at the U.S. Popcorn Board (and, yes, there is such a thing), the salty treat became a cinema staple during the Great Depression because, at five to ten cents a bag, everyone could afford it. Price tag aside, popcorn hasn’t changed much over the years, which is where Joe Doren, head chef at The Peasantry, a Chicago establishment specializing in haute street food, comes in. Ever the mad scientist, Doren grinds dehydrated kimchi — a pickled cabbage from Korea — into powder and dusts it on to spice things up. “The next time you go to the theater, sneak in some and toss it right on,” he said. Sharing, however, is entirely up to you.