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October is National Popcorn Poppin' Month, the time of year we celebrate...um...the popping of popcorn.
But I wonder how many people actually pop their own corn at home nowadays. I think a lot of people have gotten used to microwaving a bag of popcorn at home for a snack or at the office. It's quick, it's already in a handy bag, etc. But one of my favorite memories of childhood is getting Jiffy Pop at the store and making it on the stove with mom or my sister. I wonder if kids today (and by kids I mean ones under 12) even know what Jiffy Pop is, even though it's stil sold.
So, your assignment today: if you want to pop some popcorn, go buy some Jiffy Pop. I'm curious to see if it's still as good as I remember.
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10-06-2007 @9:36AM Deuz Augustine said... Jiffy Pop tastes awful, but it's damn fun to make.
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10-06-2007 @10:23AM Susan said... Sorry. I make all my popcorn in a Stir Crazy. I'm on my third one.
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10-06-2007 @1:14PM Joy said... Jiffy-Pop? No! Celebrate by popping your own corn in your own pan in a little oil.
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10-06-2007 @1:44PM zero said... is there any chance we could get some sort of a break from the constant industry funded generic food of the day/week month stories
please
IS IT NATIONAL CHILI MONTH OR NATIONAL POPCORN MONTH WHAT DO I DO MY CHILI POPCORN GAVE ME SYPHILIS
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10-06-2007 @5:22PM Charles said... I pop my own corn at home, on a stove top. I don't have to deal with either the icky oils/fat/transfat of the microwave.
Yes, I know using oil on the stovetop is still there--I can control the amount and type (canola), and keep it relatively tame.
I am a big popcorn fan, and to really get the true experience, you have to do stove top.
I've been debating trying to make a batch with sesame oil. Anyone try it?
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10-06-2007 @8:02PM Deuz Augustine said... Charles, I never even considered doing that. Is it difficult? Any recommendations on corn to use?
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10-06-2007 @8:03PM Xyzzy said... Whirley-Pop is the best!
http://www.popcornpoppers.com/stovetop-poppers.html
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10-06-2007 @8:23PM Kat said... Just started popping my own on the stove. Love it! Can't go back to the microwave.
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10-06-2007 @9:04PM charles said... Deuz: it's really quite straight forward. Of what is at my local MegaMart, I find Orville Redenbacher's corn works best (and it can make a difference), though I've found some local farmer's markets have good offerings, too.
Basically, about a half cup of corn with, say 3-4 tablespoons of oil (enough to coat the pan to a depth that will come up about half way when there is a single kernel in the pan). Pan should be decently heavy, with a lid. A bowl should be ready. Heat on high. As the pan fills, dump into bowl. Salt as you see fit.
Canola is my oil of choice (unsaturated, relatively healthful oil), and I salt only a little bit. I have experimented with different oils (though I haven't gotten around to trying sesame oil).
Personally, I find that I can make a really good batch while not being too bad (as snacks go). It is much better than what comes out of a microwave.
(Hopefully, I answered the right question--I'm having this moment of embarrassment--were you asking about stove-top corn, or using sesame oil?)
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10-07-2007 @2:51AM Paula from Only Cookware said... They don't sell JiffyPop here in Australia. I like the popcorn in a bag type arrangement. Simple and quick although god knows what sort of chemicals they put in the stuff.
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10-07-2007 @5:54PM Angela said... Wow, it's a busy month. October so far has, caramel,
apples, pumpkins, and now popcorn. I'm sure missed
something. You'll let me know, right?
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10-07-2007 @11:11PM Deuz Augustine said... No Charles, you answered my question perfectly. Thanks.
To be honest, I never dealt with non-microwave popcorn. But it sounds like a lot of fun. :)
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10-08-2007 @5:01AM ET said... Got to say - I'm actually pretty shocked by this. I wonder if it's a UK/American thing... I'm British, maybe that explains the difference? You see, when we were kids we'd never heard of microwave popcorn, and the only time in my life I've ever seen this 'Jiffy Pop' thing is in the movie 'Scream'. We grew up popping popcorn in a saucepan - which I always thought was the only way to do it (and I'm not ancient, I'm 26).
It was only when an American girl started at our school, when we were 12, that she told us about microwave popcorn. She got her family to send some over, and we watched with glee as the bag inflated in the microwave. Then we tasted it. Eurgh! It tastes like potassium chloride and preservatives; of horrible fakey plasticness. Disgusting! Nothing like butter or sugar or real sea salt. Why would anybody buy that?
In the last ten years microwave popcorn has become available in the UK, but I have to say, it hasn't even crossed my mind to buy it. When you make it in a saucepan, you can choose your topping, you can make the right amount, and it actually tastes of real food. I can't imagine why anybody would even consider buying microwave stuff - and I'm really quite shocked by all the comments in this thread. Did you not even realise there was a normal way to make it?
(And you don't need a big whirly machine! Picking the saucepan up by the handle, holding the lid on with the other hand and giving it a good shake every ten seconds is more than sufficient! It only takes a minute...)
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10-08-2007 @7:34AM DavidLee said... So sorry to read this. You all put out some great posts, and became one of my favorite sites. Best wishes landing somewhere more permanent.
http://www.gigabyte.com.tw
http://www.ec2biz.com
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10-08-2007 @10:22AM jsmylie said... Isn't Jiffy-Pop pretty much the same as microwave popcorn?
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10-08-2007 @12:40PM Atiyah said... I do the brown paper bag microwave popcorn. Kernals, a little oil, put all of this in a brown paper bag pop for about 3 minutes or until it slows down. Open bag and eat. YUMMY!
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10-09-2007 @9:16AM jrt said... One word - diacetyl. I'm not eating anything that causes that kind of health problem during production. Also, the microwave stuff tastes and smells disgusting. I like my hot air popper and real butter.
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10-09-2007 @12:15PM Amy Z said... We always used an electric fry pan to pop popcorn, while I was growing up. We also used to do it over a fire, with a special thing for it. However, now-a-days I usually just go with microwave if I'm in the mood. I have thought about going back to using the electric fry pan, just to try it out again, but haven't done so yet.
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10-13-2007 @3:37AM madster said... charles, i just made popcorn with sesame oil! (it's the only oil i had in the cupboard and i really wanted some popcorn) it didn't get smoky.
anyway, it's fantastic! super crunchy and light, sooo good. try it. :)
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10-14-2007 @12:32AM Bobby Hansen said... I have tried a lot of popcorn makers - I just hate microwave corn as I think it has a metallic taste.
The one I found that worked best for the least money and effort was the West Bend Stir Crazy. It uses only a little oil, it pops a half cup of kernels (one large bowl popped) in just a few minutes, and the corn is never burned due to a simple sweeping arm which keeps the corn moving so it doesn't have a chance to blacken. There's also almost never any old maids. Results don't even depend on the corn - I've used artesian popcorns, good-quality mass market and the cheap stuff all with no noticeable loss of quality. The lid can also be flipped up side down to be used as a bowl. You can even met butter in the top of it.
Alton Brown Poo-pooed this model on his Popcorn show, and honestly, his method with a simple metal bowl is excellent, but too labour intensive. If I'm making popcorn, I find I'm doing another thing (Getting ready for guests, getting other food or a movie ready, ect) and I don't feel like doing that. It is also a bit big, but honestly, I like popcorn enough to justify this ONE unitasker. The Stir Crazy does an excellent job. It's about 30$ and worth every penny if you want an excellent popcorn machine.
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