This week on Food For Thought, my taste panel takes on three different microwave popcorn products and rates them on flavour, aroma, and poppability! If you want to listen to their comments, click here for an mp3.
The winner was Act II popcorn, beating out an organic competitor, Whole Alternatives, and Orville Redenbacher’s ‘Corn on the Cob’ flavour.
The above photo shows the smear of fat left on the countertop after the ‘Corn on the Cob’ flavour bag leaked. It was tough to clean up! The lower photo features Taste Panel member Sam Corea contemplating one of the competitors. Thank you Taste Panel! Their next assignment is frozen pizza.
Update: Try Making Your Own Microwave Popcorn
Late last week I received a note from listener Heather Webber, who makes her own style of microwave popcorn. I haven’t tried this in the test kitchen, so please be careful!
1. I use a paper lunch bag or one the size you get from a grocery
store bakery. I choose not to use those with lettering to avoid the
printer chemicals.
2. Pour in 1/4-1/3 cup of popcorn and fold over the top of the bag
about an inch and then again. (a double fold)
3. Put it in the microwave on popcorn setting. Sometimes I add an
extra 30 seconds to a minute if it was slow to start popping.
4. Put some butter or margarine in a microwavable cup and get a bowl
out.
5. As soon as you remove the bag from the microwave, put the butter
in for 15-20 seconds.
6. Pour the popcorn in the bowl, top with butter and add a touch of
salt. Enjoy.
7. The "old maids" in the bottom of the bowl can be re-popped in the
same bag, if you want to try. The best ones have the texture of
puffed wheat or corn, or even corn nuts.
8. I use the bag up to three times. I don’t think it is safe if the
bag has a lot of fat on it from re-poppings.
I heard about this from a friend in Alberta who uses a large paper
grocery bag to make popcorn for his family. I haven’t tried a big
grocery bag – maybe it works even better.
Have fun. Heather
