Q. My husband-to-be and I are both from Iowa, and I'd love to give our guests favors that are a memento of our home state. Any suggestions?
A. When your guests think of Iowa, the first thing that comes to mind is probably corn. Show them how right they are by giving gifts that make the most of Iowa's bounty! For a variety of upscale options, head to Heart of Iowa Market Place -- they offer a variety of gourmet foods, including many made with Iowa corn (such as the Amana Corn Cob Jelly or their own Corn Salsa). Our favorites are the Jolly Time "on the cob" microwaveable popcorn cobs. Heart of Iowa Market Place, (515) 274-IOWA, West Des Moines. If you're feeling creative, get crafty with a cool D.I.Y. favor. Whip up some handmade popcorn balls (made with Iowa corn, naturally). For each batch (which will produce 12 to 24 balls, depending on how big you make them), you'll need a half a stick of butter, a 10 oz. bag of mini marshmallows, a 1/4 cup of brown sugar, and 3 quarts of popped popcorn (and if you want, 1 cup of dried fruit, toffee pieces, or chocolate chips). Melt the butter in a large, heavy pot over low heat. Add your marshmallows and the sugar and stir until they're completely melted, then remove from the heat. Throw the popcorn in (and any mix-ins you might be using), and stir well. Butter your hands, then sink 'em into this gooey delight and start shaping the mixture into balls. Set them aside on wax paper to dry off a bit, then later wrap them in tulle or decorative paper and tie with ribbon. Get Iowa popcorn in bulk (you can choose from a couple of different varieties) from the Stock Popcorn Co., (712) 657-2811, Lake View.
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