taste

What about air-popped corn?? Now there's a childhood memory... and healthier to boot!

Pop with coconut oil, use only yellow popcorn, clarify your butter, and make sure you use popcorn salt instead of table salt. You'll never go back!

When I was growing up, we used coconut butter. Look at the ingredients on the microwave popcorn!

I always pop the corn with coconut oil and a touch of butter. I can't stand the smell of microwave popcorn.

Honestly, what got me to go back to doing popcorn the old school way was the need to be frugal. I've always had an appetite for popcorn. I ate bags of the microwave stuff because it was convenient. When I lost my job popcorn was one of the few perks I allowed myself outside of the staples. A small box of microwave stuff ran approx $4 for 3-5 bags. A guy could knock that off in a week if he wanted to. So one day I bought a bag of store brand kernel popcorn for $2.50 & it last me the better part of 2 months. Considering my financial situation, I needed all the cheap entertainment I could get. So I started experimenting with stuff I had in my spice rack & cupboards to change things up with the seasoning. Like cinnamon & sugar, or drizzling a little olive oil (sometimes w/ garlic), salt & black pepper, or clarified butter & curry powder (which was pretty interesting), or my personal fav to this day... a little butter & liberal dose of Tony Chachere's creole seasoning. (Also great with corn on the cob) Da***t, now I want popcorn.

We have a very similar taste and style for popcorn. But I prefer to use an actual stainless stovetop popcorn kettle with the crank on top that you keep turning until the kernels stop popping. I don't like the aluminum ones because you can see where it actually rubs off on the popcorn, leaving a dark gray color. I use 1-2 tbsp of canola, put it on the burner at medium high, leave the lid open, then wait for the slightest hint of smoke. Then I dump a heaping half cup of kernels in, close the lid and immediately turn until done. I melt a half stick of butter in the microwave and pour, salt, and flip four times(it takes a special technique to distribute the butter and salt evenly) for a perfect batch that the whole family loves. Oh, then the last step, put in a movie and turn down the lights.

Oh yeah, I forgot about coconut oil. We used to use that and man, was that ever good, but we got scared away from the stuff since it's not supposed to be very good for you at all. Might have to try it again occasionally. Totally agree with the popcorn salt as well. We never bother clarifying the butter though.

One more thing. We use the air popper more than the stovetop kettle just because we don't feel like cleaning it all the time. The stovetop popcorn is more of a treat. Always go with yellow as well. But here's my question, how do you make a batch of popcorn as good as the movie theaters' stuff?

I have great memories of my mom making popcorn on the stove - we had 1 pan that was only used for popcorn so it had lots of "burnt offerings" on the bottom. We would play cards and eat popcorn - it was so fun. I make popcorn alomost every night. I have a kettle you crank - I also have a Stir Crazy, but use the kettle more often. I've experiemented with Canola, Peanut and Coconut oil. My fave is Coconut. Definitely use the popcorn salt. I don't add butter, since that is what I grew up with - we didn't have the money for butter back then.

Funny. I always use white popcorn, like I grew up on. I buy it in organic bulk at the coop. Organic butter and I'm a happy camper.