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Popcorn toppers


Megaroo

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Brewer's yeast and nutritional yeast are two different things. I have definitely heard of nutritional yeast used on popcorn. It's a yeast grown on molasses (I believe) and is a favorite of vegans because it provides B vitamins. Brewer's yeast is extremely bitter and not meant to be eaten on its own.

That said, I'm a popcorn salt/melted real butter girl myself. I pop the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave, held shut by 2 staples, a la Alton Brown. You have to watch it because it burns easily this way, but if you're careful it turns out wonderfully.

Rachel Sincere
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So now I pose the question: How are we popping our corn?

In the microwave?

Air popper?

On the stove?

I have one of those "theater-style" poppers that goes on the stove. Heat it up with oil, throw in the corn and shut the lid, and then turn the crank.

I also have my grandmother's old popper, though it's rusty. It's a rectangular box on a long handle (meant, I assume, for use in a fireplace), with a dimpled area with holes in it where you'd place the butter to melt and coat the corn. She and my grandfather would have the big Sunday brunch after church, and then popcorn for dinner.

It's from them that I learned to like popcorn with milk (even better when you dip individual kernels in the milk). Then you wind up with buttery, salty milk. It's better than it sounds.

"I just hate health food"--Julia Child

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It's from them that I learned to like popcorn with milk (even better when you dip individual kernels in the milk). Then you wind up with buttery, salty milk. It's better than it sounds.

When I was a kid, we always made extra popcorn which would be set aside without butter or salt. In the morning, a bowlful of cold plain popcorn with milk over the top made a nice alternative to cereal. I liked the contrast of how crunchy the popcorn was while dry with the way it seemed to melt away when the milk touched it. Never tried dunking it, though...

"The dinner table is the center for the teaching and practicing not just of table manners but of conversation, consideration, tolerance, family feeling, and just about all the other accomplishments of polite society except the minuet." - Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

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I pop the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave, held shut by 2 staples, a la Alton Brown.  You have to watch it because it burns easily this way, but if you're careful it turns out wonderfully.

how does this work exactly? do you just put kernels in the bag, seal, and pop? I've never heard of doing this before

Cutting the lemon/the knife/leaves a little cathedral:/alcoves unguessed by the eye/that open acidulous glass/to the light; topazes/riding the droplets,/altars,/aromatic facades. - Ode to a Lemon, Pablo Neruda

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Popcorn balls, made with Steen's syrup...

For the savory kind, I (believe it or not) have found the one and only use for margarine. It melts better, it does not deflate the kernels, and it can be doctored easily with whatever spices or whatnot you care to add.

Screw it. It's a Butterball.
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I pop the kernels in a paper bag in the microwave, held shut by 2 staples, a la Alton Brown.  You have to watch it because it burns easily this way, but if you're careful it turns out wonderfully.

how does this work exactly? do you just put kernels in the bag, seal, and pop? I've never heard of doing this before

I do this one all the time.

Use 1/4 cup unpopped popcorn, 2 tablespoons good oil (like olive), a healthy pinch of salt plus other seasonings.

Place all of the ingredients in a small lunch sized-plain paper bag, fold the top a couple of times, then close with a couple of staples, and microwave it like any store bought corn, but watch it closely. this is a smaller batch that the store-bought kind, and it will be done quicker. Just listen for the pops to slow down to 3-4 seconds between pops.

Good stuff, and easy to do. I don't recommend butter in the bag though. it just does not work well. Use the olive oil.

Screw it. It's a Butterball.
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Use 1/4 cup unpopped popcorn, 2 tablespoons good oil (like olive), a healthy pinch of salt plus other seasonings.

Place all of the ingredients in a small lunch sized-plain paper bag, fold the top a couple of times, then close with a couple of staples, and microwave it like any store bought corn, but watch it closely. this is a smaller batch that the store-bought kind, and it will be done quicker. Just listen for the pops to slow down to 3-4 seconds between pops.

Good stuff, and easy to do. I don't recommend butter in the bag though. it just does not work well. Use the olive oil

Yep, that's about it. Except I skip the oil. Alton Brown said in his book (I think) that when he tried it without the oil he didn't notice a difference so he no longer uses the oil. I don't bother with it because it's messy, and I'm going to dump a bunch of melted butter on the popcorn as soon as it's popped anyway. :biggrin:

Rachel Sincere
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  • 1 year later...

just to add my two cents to the debate after trying it both ways:

the alton brown microwave method didn't really have the same flavor in my opinion. I have tracked the difference in flavor down to the oil. When I make popcorn I do it on the stovetop with a wok. this insures that unpopped kernels are focused at the bottom in one spot, and it has a nice dome lid. The difference in flavor was coming from the oil smoking as the kernels reached the right temperature to pop. this burnt oil smoke flavor is something that I really like. I use about a half tablespoon of olive oil or clarified butter tossed in with the kernels, high heat all the way.

as for toppings I have a few favorites:

nutritional yeast and curry powder

japanese chili oil (rayu) and salt

cinnamon sugar

brown butter

nutritional yeast + whatever is lying around (cumin, oregano, powdered dehydrated tomato paste, crushed sesame seeds)

I use my spice(coffee) grinder to make whatever I am using as topping in to a fine powder, I put the salt in there too.

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Doesn't anyone else use one of these?

From Presto, this microwave popping bowl works great, you can use it with oil or without. You use regular popcorn (or Orville's) so the per batch price is much less than making microwave popcorn in the little bags. And you don't have that toxic artificial butter to worry about.

I pop mine with olive oil, and sprinkle with the aforementioned nutritional yeast.

I like microwaved popcorn better than pan popped--crunchier.

sparrowgrass
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Doesn't anyone else use one of these?

From Presto, this microwave popping bowl works great, you can use it with oil or without.  You use regular popcorn (or Orville's) so the per batch price is much less than making microwave popcorn in the little bags.  And you don't have that toxic artificial butter to worry about.

I pop mine with olive oil, and sprinkle with the aforementioned nutritional yeast.

I like microwaved popcorn better than pan popped--crunchier.

I have something similar -- mine's the Nordicware brand, and I picked it up at Target for like $7. Definitely a kitchen *essential* for me! I'm sure you could add oil to it, but I never do, and the popcorn comes out perfect. When I can get it I use popcorn from a local grower -- it's heaven. When I can't I just get the cheap grocery store stuff. I have an itty bitty microwave so usually I have to pull it out when there are still a significant number of unpopped kernels so the rest doesn't burn (never had the issue in my parents' regular-sized microwave), but usually I'll put these back in later that evening or the next day and they pop up with this wonderful nutty flavor.

I use the ICBINButter spray, and either cinnamon and splenda or the sprinkles made specifically for popcorn -- the parmesean cheese, onion & garlic, and nacho cheddar are my favorite.

Now that I think about it, though, I LOVE salt & vinegar potato chips. I bet a misting of vinegar and some salt would be fantastic on popcorn. Must try it soon.

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There is nothing and I mean nothing like a large bowl of popcorn topped with truffle butter.

Not quite true. Truffle salt. Can be taken with you to movie theaters and put on the popcorn there. Plus makes everyone near you jealous.

But whatever the vehicle of delivery, Truffles are the best.

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I really like a lot of Tabasco on my popcorn. The spicy, soggy bits are so good! Or butter with salt and pepper. Are the wee, half-popped kernels called "grannies?" My Dad and I would always fight a bit over those. :rolleyes:

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Hot sauce is fab on popcorn, especially the soggy bits on the bottom of the bowl! My standby is popcorn sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with kosher salt, but we also add cumin sometimes, and there are times when I mix the kosher salt with raw sugar and then coat the popcorn, yum!

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As a spice addict, I pop my popcorn in a pot with olive oil/butter (or Smart Balance) and season as soon as its popped with powdered garlic, salt, and any of the following:

-togarashi

-curry powder

-Tabasco

-Siracha

Sometimes all if I feel particularly daring :biggrin:

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I so rarely have the "ewwwww" factor when reading an egullet thread...usually even the strangest things sound interesting. But this thread is grossing me out...I must be more of a popcorn purinst than I realized.

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I'm not a health nut at all, but nutritional yeast has always been my favorite, and nothing else comes close. Definitely not brewer's yeast though! And the nutritional yeast has to be the right kind. One time I decided to get the more expensive imported, wild kind--big mistake. It has to be big yellow flakes with a cheesy flavor. The ultimate for me is when I pour melted butter onto the yeasty popcorn. The yeast soaks up the butter and forms rich clumps on every kernel. Told you I'm not a health nut!

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So now I pose the question: How are we popping our corn?

In the microwave?

Air popper?

On the stove?

Whirley Pop! :smile:

YES! I love my Whirley Pop :wub:.

Kathy

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. - Harriet Van Horne

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Doesn't anyone else use one of these?

From Presto, this microwave popping bowl works great, you can use it with oil or without.  You use regular popcorn (or Orville's) so the per batch price is much less than making microwave popcorn in the little bags.  And you don't have that toxic artificial butter to worry about.

I pop mine with olive oil, and sprinkle with the aforementioned nutritional yeast.

I like microwaved popcorn better than pan popped--crunchier.

I have something similar -- mine's the Nordicware brand, and I picked it up at Target for like $7. Definitely a kitchen *essential* for me! I'm sure you could add oil to it, but I never do, and the popcorn comes out perfect.

Is it this thing? I have one--so simple. I love it. Got it on sale for 3 or 4 bucks.

That said, I do like popcorn popped on the stovetop with a bit of oil. I've got one of those stovetop crank-the-handle-to-stir pots which is fun but a bit of a pain in the ass to clean.

Toppings? I like REAL butter and salt, and parmesan!! mmmmmmmmm.........

"She would of been a good woman," The Misfit said, "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life."

--Flannery O'Connor, "A Good Man is Hard to Find"

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Usually I like just butter, salt and pepper. However, the last time I made popcorn, I added a bit of pesto sauce to the melted butter and it turned out really tasty.

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That cinnamon and brown sugar sounds interesting. I usually go with butter melted with honey in it. It's a really nice flavor with the salt added, and the honey keeps the popcorn from getting that cold greasy butter feel and flavor.

"Fat is money." (Per a cracklings maker shown on Dirty Jobs.)
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