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Popcorn and popper

The TVClubHouse: General Discussions: 2004 May - July: Cooking Corner (ARCHIVES): Popcorn and popper users admin

Author Message
Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 7:04 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Do you love your microwave popcorn or are you looking for something else? You may have seen the Whirley Pop popper in stores or wherever and wondered about it. It does make the best popcorn -- on the stove top like in the "olden days". I've had mine for a few years now and wouldn't pop corn any other way.

What I would guess is a farm near the small southern Illinois town of Hamburg used to grow and wholesale popcorn under the name of White Cat Corn. Seems they stopped farming because I can no longer find that corn. Does anyone have any brand of popping corn that they would recommend?

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 7:20 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I've had one for over 10 years and I LOVE it! With one tsp. of oil and 2/3 - 3/4 C of popcorn, I get the best tasting lowfat snack! YUMMY!

I usually try to find Amish popcorn (yellow)...it's nearly hulless and it pops into HUGE pieces. When I can't get it, I resort to Black Jewel or Orville.

Reader234
Member

08-13-2000

Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 8:49 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Oh Color, dont you go dissing my popcorn!!

I too am a confirmed whirly popcorn user, but bless my soul as I tell you there is no better corn to pop than dear old Orville's finest, that be Orvill Reddenbacher. Now this dear ole man may be known in other parts of this ole land due to commercialism, but let me tell you, he put my town on the map, yep, he built his empire in the town of Valparaiso, IN... and we still celebrate him to this day, on Labor Day, we have a HUGE Popcorn Festival...

There is no way you will convince me there is a better kernal than Orville's finest, cultivated from the land I know best in the Hoosier state!!

I would also add 2 more MUST HAVES!!! You MUST HAVE popcorn salt, yes, you can purchase this fine salt (and I do mean fine, I love the grains and flavor of Kosher for pretzel, and others, but there is nothing like the powdery simplicity of popcorn salt for home use...)

And search those aisles, you will find a liquid oil just suited for the purpose of popcorn popping. Now of course, in our health conscience endeavors, its harder and harder to discover the source of purchasing this interesting oil, I hear the best of the best has origins in coconut oils, all I know is its shape, and color, the color of the oil is yellow, the shape of the bottle is thicker at the bottom, and thinner at the top, and smells like butter, and movie theatres...

Just my honest opinion of course!!



Jhezzie
Member

07-05-2001

Sunday, February 08, 2004 - 11:22 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I luv my Whirley. I got one this last fall and it's the best popper I have ever had! Hey, Reader, go to the Whirley site in Color's post. They have the real-deal, coconut oil theater stuff. I love their seasonings too.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 7:37 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I use Orville's popcorn oil. I certainly have tried Orville's popcorn. Since White Cat Corn has disappeared, I haven't found another brand of popping corn that pops as well. I use the same amount of the same oil and same heat temp on the same stove. There were consistently no unpopped kernels.

Christy358
Member

07-31-2002

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 8:31 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Whirley poppers are now 50% off at Dillards for anyone who wants to join this club.

:-)

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 9:41 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Coconut oil is the worst oil for your health, by far.

Olive oil is great, which is what I use. When I do not want that taste, I go to peanut oil. I like to flavor my popcorn with different oils such as rosemary flavored olive oil, firehot pepper oil, or walnut oil.

Orville's is good, but I don't judge the popcorn by how many kernels are unpopped. I judge it by the taste. I've recently encountered Williams Sonoma sold popcorn and they taste better by far. However, they pop smaller and there are numerous unpopped kernels. The taste makes up for it, though. Orvilles' pops so hard it sounds like it is going to break the whirlypop. Its taste is not as good. I like to mix different popcorn together.



Kappy
Member

06-29-2002

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:40 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Wow ~ I have never heard of the Whirley popper so I am going to have to look into this. I use to use the air popper before I broke down and bought a microwave. I tried every brand of popcorn in our grocery store and found Orville's to be the best in size, taste and lack of left-over kernals. But for the micro-wave, I swear by Pop-Secret.

Ocean ~ How expensive is the Williams Sonoma? I might try it out once.


Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:43 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
It's more expensive than Redenbacher's and the jars are large as well so it's about $7. The price put me off for a long time until I broke down and tried it and now it's hard to go back to Orville's, but I find a mix of the two is good as well.

Kappy
Member

06-29-2002

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 10:47 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Thanks, Ocean. I checked their site but it wasn't listed. I only make popcorn once a week at the most so it might not be that bad for a one time special purchase. Or as part of a gift basket for someone who loves popcorn.

Faerygdds
Member

08-29-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 11:05 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
OK... to get the popper, butter (just like the movies), and salt (just like the movies)... the best site by far is ----- (drumroll please)

http://www.popcornpopper.com

They have everything from cheddar cheese to kettle corn, to caramel and chocolate stuff to put on your popcorn. Suffice it to say that if you love popcorn, then you will love this site. I have ordered from them before (got my LAST order of butter and salt) just last week.

have fun!!! :-)

Faerygdds
Member

08-29-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 11:09 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
OH... I forgot to mention that it doesn't take forever to make either! it takes me 3:45 to make popcorn in my microwave and takes me 3 minutes to make a pouch of real theatre popcorn in my popper. So it's about the same as far as time goes.

(can you tell I LOVE my popper??? shhh... I actually have 2 -- one is used for roasting coffee. And I am thinking of buying a 3rd one for work! )

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 12:13 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Here's a link to the popcorn that Williams Sonoma sells : Crown Jewel

They also sell this, which is great: link to Black Jewell


Tishala
Member

08-01-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 12:24 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I agree about the Williams Sonoma pop corn. Delicious.

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 12:32 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Here is where you can buy the Black Jewell popcorn, and it's a lot cheaper than W-S: link to store

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 2:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
White Cat also popped big, white, and fluffy. I've tried Orville's and popcorn from the Whirley Pop site in the popper -- neither were as good as White Cat.

A friend gave me Back To Basics popcorn. It's OK, nothing special. I bought some Fireworks popcorn a while ago, but haven't tried it yet. I want my White Cat.

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 3:17 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
The Fireworks popcorn looks cool! When I was little, we used to be able to get colored popcorn (kernal...not outside part) at a local store. You got red, green and blue in one package. I haven't seen it in years...but this is at least close!

Black Jewell can be bought at Meijer stores if you're in the midwest.

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 4:02 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Fireworks popcorn is good.

Lkunkel
Member

10-29-2003

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 7:34 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
So, Faery, do you have the WhirleyPop Popper, too?

I keep looking at them and wondering if I can make it work on an electric stove.

Are they hard to clean up?

Kappy
Member

06-29-2002

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 9:00 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Okay, now that you guys have me craving a huge bowl of popcorn, I want to order the butter flavored popcorn salt ~ sounds good. Has anyone had that and do they like it?

Ketchuplover
Member

08-30-2000

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 9:14 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
When the fireworks popcorn pops do you go oooh aaah ? :-)

Teachmichigan
Member

07-22-2001

Monday, February 09, 2004 - 9:54 pm   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lkunkel ... depends on the type of electric stove you have. For a brief time, my parents had one of those "flat top" no burners type electric stove...and once it was hot, it would cycle on and off periodically. Didn't work worth crap on popcorn. However, I used mine for a while on a "regular" burner electric stove without any problem.

Colordeagua
Member

10-25-2003

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:24 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Lkunkel, I have an electric stove with regular burners. (I'm in a condo -- all electric building. No choice ever of having gas.) Works fine.

The popper is made of aluminum (?), so it is light-weight. I think instructions say not to use non-stick spray in it, but I always have. I wash the top right after I've popped the corn. That way the oil doesn't have a chance to "set" in the nooks and crannies on the popper top.

I'd highly recommend the Whirley Pop.

Faerygdds
Member

08-29-2000

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 7:46 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    

quote:

So, Faery, do you have the WhirleyPop Popper, too?

I keep looking at them and wondering if I can make it work on an electric stove.

Are they hard to clean up?




Yes I have the Whirley pop. :-)

I have an electric stove with standard burners. The instructions say to put the popcorn packet (or loose with oil) in the popper, then turn on the stove to medium high. It takes about 2.5 minutes to start popping and the popping is fast. You crank it the whole time or until you can't anymore. I usually crank it and then when the fast popping starts I dump some of the popped into a bowl, thus giving myself a little more room in the popper. Then return it to the stove to finish and dump the rest. Then I turn off the stove and put in my butter topping. It melts quickly, I swirl it around to get any leftover salt and pour it on my popcorn.

As far as cleanup... I pop the top off... run a soapy sponge over all the parts and rinse. It's just THAT easy. The hardest part is getting a new top off the popper. They snap on. When you see it you will see how. It's not hard, but the first time can be a little stubborn. After that it's a breeze! :-)


Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 9:10 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
BTW I found two places that had sold White Cat popcorn, but they were both sold out.

Dahli
Member

11-27-2000

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 9:56 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
Hydrogenated oils of any kind are the worst oils by far, and polyunsaturated oils when heated can become the dangerous trans fat we all need to avoid, however virgin coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils out there - here's a bit of info http://www.coconutoil.com/

Ocean_islands
Member

09-07-2000

Tuesday, February 10, 2004 - 10:15 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
I'd have a hard time trusting a site that is set up by the coconut oil industry. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, and while it is less dangerous than saturated fat that comes from animals, it is still a saturated fat.

Heyltslori
Member

09-15-2001

Friday, February 13, 2004 - 7:18 am   Edit Post Move Post Delete Post View Post    
In case anyone is interested, I noticed that the Whirley popcorn popper is on sale in today's Friday sale at Amazon.com. :-)

CLICK!