We're on our second West Bend Stir Crazy in 36 years of marriage, we've found it to be very effective. I think we trashed the first one after the non-stick coating wore away. (Note that the older models have a domed, not cylindrical lid).

We use a mix of yellow and other-color corn (all the non-yellow varieties are tastier and crunchier, but smaller in popped size) and cooked in a mix of corn and EVOO (for flavor). SueF is a purist, wanting only salt; I like a combination of cheese powder and vulcan fire salt.

LAZ's father-in-law designed the Stir Crazy, which has long been my Dad's favorite corn popper, too.

Cool!

Katie wrote:Cool!

Coolio!

JoelF wrote:I like a combination of cheese powder and vulcan fire salt.

I've used cheese powder and Vulcan fire salt individually for popcorn, never together. Great idea, sounds like a winner!

Not that I've done it, but I've heard that 1/2 oil and 1/2 GWiv's hot oil is a nice combination.

JoelF wrote:I like a combination of cheese powder and vulcan fire salt.

No Vulcan fire salt on hand but I did have Spice House cheddar cheese & Sriracha powder. Fresh pop popcorn and a mix of the two = dinner. Tasty, great combo, thanks for the idea. #homecooking #socialdistancingcooking




Popcorn for dinner, count me a Fan!

Been hitting the popcorn with some regularity, as it seems to pair well with television-assisted confinement. A friend was nice enough to send me 6 pounds! -- -- of assorted Amish Popcorn -- and it is wonderful -- but tonight it was yellow popcorn from Three Sisters Garden. 100 g of popcorn cooked in 40g of unsalted ghee and 1/2 teaspoon of powdered salt. After it popped, I garnished it with a mixture of some magic dusts I keep on-hand for just this very purpose . . .


Three Sisters Garden Yellow Popcorn
Garnished with Anthony's Cheddar and Frank's Original Buffalo powders


A nice combination
Fun and tasty but completely unnecessary. Far more often than not, I eat it unadorned.

=R=

ronnie_suburban wrote:Fun and tasty but completely unnecessary. Far more often than not, I eat it unadorned.

Agree, though its fun to gild the lily. I went black pepper/butter on my popcorn snack yesterday.


Popcorn, count me a Fan!

I like Tiny But Mighty which used to be available in bulk at Whole Foods which made it easy to come by...but it has been a few years since I've seen it. Now I get it from Amazon (like everything else in my life).

I make a seasoning mix out of kosher sale and Spice House Vulcan Fire Salt, Gateway to the North (maple garlic seasoning), and sugar; all processed into a more fine texture.

Popcorn put into a single layer with pre-heated ghee, seasoning sprinkled liberally on top of the single layer before covering the pan in foil. As long as you aren't making a huge batch, the entire thing pops without any of the seasoning burning and requires very little shaking. Once it is done, the popcorn needs maybe a minute to cool to allow the sugar component of the seasoning to crunch up just slightly, and then you are ready to go. No additional seasoning or fats needed - sweet, salty, spicy, and buttery!

Anyone have a favorite yellow popcorn?

I am almost out of my large Orville and I like to mix the white with the yellow. Still using a pot and coconut oil now that my electric popper has a cracked bowl.

Now after looking at recent post here I want popcorn, perhaps for lunch and maybe today is a good day to try ghee.

DClose wrote:I like Tiny But Mighty which used to be available in bulk at Whole Foods which made it easy to come by...but it has been a few years since I've seen it. Now I get it from Amazon (like everything else in my life).

I am usually positioned near the Tiny But Mighty popcorn vendor at the Chicago Botanic Gardens for their Harvest Fest. The guy there is selling their popcorn and suggesting people buy it at Sunset Foods. He may have mentioned other locations, though Sunset stands out in my memory.

Regards,
Cathy2

I haven’t seen Tiny But Mighty at the Highland Park Sunset for at least a year. Since Sunset stopped stocking it, we get Black Jewell

pairs4life wrote:Anyone have a favorite yellow popcorn?

Fresh Farms, Niles had a selection of Amish Country Popcorn, my current favorite, today (4.20.20) including white and yellow for $2.99 per 32oz bag. I recently bought/received 6/lbs from Amish Country Popcorn or I would have bought a bag or three.





Amish Country Popcorn, count me a Fan!

lougord99 wrote:I haven’t seen Tiny But Mighty at the Highland Park Sunset for at least a year. Since Sunset stopped stocking it, we get Black Jewell

I was sitting by their distributor last September. Sunset Foods was mentioned many, many, many times.

I have a friend who is nearly a daily shopper at Sunset. She thinks they are tightening up inventory and reducing skews. Some favorites are not there any longer.

Regards,
Cathy2

lougord99 wrote:I haven’t seen Tiny But Mighty at the Highland Park Sunset for at least a year. Since Sunset stopped stocking it, we get Black Jewell

Fresh Farms, Niles had a couple of types of Black Jewell popcorn as well. I should have taken a better shot of the Black Jewell types.

Really have to thank G Wiv for sending over a lifetime supply of Amish Country Popcorn. Tonight, we broke into the red for the first time . . .


Popcorn 'Mise'
Amish Country Red Popcorn, Ghee Oil, Frank's Buffalo Ranch Powder, King Arthur White Cheddar Cheese Powder . . . gratuitous knife shot (my new Takeda, Aogami Super, stainless-clad deba. )


Popped and Seasoned
This really popped up nicely, with just a few unpopped kernels. And no, it's not burnt at all. The darkness you see is the hulls of the red kernels. I'd never tried the ghee oil before but it was convenient, and imparted a nice flavor. Ingredients are grass-fed ghee, avocado oil, cold-pressed grapeseed oil and sunflower lecithin. I'm likely going back to peanut oil or standard ghee for future pops.

Thanks again, Gary!

=R=

Cathy2 wrote:She thinks they are tightening up inventory and reducing skews.

Regards,
Cathy2

As I have a lot of time on my hands I have no choice but to inform you that the proper spelling is SKUs, an acronym for stock keeping unit.

ronnie_suburban wrote:Really have to thank G Wiv for sending over a lifetime supply of Amish Country Popcorn.

Very welcome, though it is my sincere wish that's not a lifetime supply.

Terrific looking knife, just beautiful. I've had a Mac SD-65 deba for a dozen years, find it useful in particular for slicing cooked rib racks. Sturdy, no worries about chipping on light bone or cartilage, and maneuverable.

ronnie_suburban wrote:gratuitous knife shot (my new Takeda, Aogami Super, stainless-clad deba. )

Ronnie,

That's a beautiful knife! Would you use this in place of a santoku? It seems taller and a bit more curved. How long is the blade?

scottsol wrote:

Cathy2 wrote:She thinks they are tightening up inventory and reducing skews.

Regards,
Cathy2

As I have a lot of time on my hands I have no choice but to inform you that the proper spelling is SKUs, an acronym for stock keeping unit.

That's ok, we all have to have our fun somehow. I knew it, too, and blew it. Thanks!

Cathy2

G Wiv wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:Really have to thank G Wiv for sending over a lifetime supply of Amish Country Popcorn.

Very welcome, though it is my sincere wish that's not a lifetime supply.

LOL, come to think of it, me too! Actually, by my calculations, that's approximately 27 days worth of popcorn.

G Wiv wrote:Terrific looking knife, just beautiful. I've had a Mac SD-65 deba for a dozen years, find it useful in particular for slicing cooked rib racks. Sturdy, no worries about chipping on light bone or cartilage, and maneuverable.

Exactly. Not only will be I be ribbing with it but I expect to be receiving some whole fish from a friend over the next few months and I'll be butchering them with this bad boy.

Al Ehrhardt wrote:

ronnie_suburban wrote:gratuitous knife shot (my new Takeda, Aogami Super, stainless-clad deba. )

That's a beautiful knife! Would you use this in place of a santoku? It seems taller and a bit more curved. How long is the blade?

Al, it's a short blade heavy blade (180mm, 320g) that is mainly used for butchering fish and other larger cuts where bone and cartilage are likely to be a part of the equation. It's complete overkill but I've wanted a Deba for a while, so when this one -- a wishlist item -- finally became available, I grabbed it.

=R=

G Wiv wrote:Fresh Farms, Niles

When you use Niles as the descriptor, for some reason my hunch is you're referring to Touhy, but I'm never certain. I shop at both (they're equidistant from me) frequently and go to the locations with different priorities. Golf Rd is best for fresh fruit, vegetables and the protein section (eg. Touhy didn't have skirt steaks trimmed and packaged this week, just a new larger package of likely superior outside cut). But I prefer Touhy for packaged items (eg. Golf didn't have any Frontera brand sauces or salsas with the possible exception of guacamole mix iirc). The bread section at Golf seems better, but I've actually had better luck on what I'm looking for at Touhy.

Using Touhy or Golf would be helpful, if it's not an inconvenience.

bweiny wrote:Using Touhy or Golf would be helpful, if it's not an inconvenience.

None at all, thank you for the suggestion.

For reference when I mention Fresh Farms, Niles I mean, as you surmised, Touhy.

Popcorn Youtube Andong video, about 50% too long, overcomplicated, but interesting and fun to watch. The Butteriest Popcorn, Movie Theater Style (But Using Real Butter)

Our household has been doing its best to keep Amish Country Popcorn in business by using them for Christmas/Chanukah gifts this year. Three 2# Bags for $17.37 including tax and surprisingly quick shipping is a terrific deal. I do love Amish Country Popcorn popcorn products.

Amish Country Popcorn, count me a Fan!

G Wiv wrote:Popcorn Youtube Andong video, about 50% too long, overcomplicated, but interesting and fun to watch. The Butteriest Popcorn, Movie Theater Style (But Using Real Butter)

Our household has been doing its best to keep Amish Country Popcorn in business by using them for Christmas/Chanukah gifts this year. Three 2# Bags for $17.37 including tax and surprisingly quick shipping is a terrific deal. I do love Amish Country Popcorn popcorn products.

Amish Country Popcorn, count me a Fan!

Thanks for this post. Great Idea. And now I may have popcorn for supper. It used to be what I would "cook" for dinner in law school. Especially if it was hot. Then followed by melon, cherries, peaches to balance the meal.

G Wiv wrote:Our household has been doing its best to keep Amish Country Popcorn in business by using them for Christmas/Chanukah gifts this year. Three 2# Bags for $17.37 including tax and surprisingly quick shipping is a terrific deal. I do love Amish Country Popcorn popcorn products.

Amish Country Popcorn, count me a Fan!

Which is your favorite? Or you top three favorites?

JoelF wrote:We're on our second West Bend Stir Crazy in 36 years of marriage, we've found it to be very effective. I think we trashed the first one after the non-stick coating wore away. (Note that the older models have a domed, not cylindrical lid).

Hey Joel, my West Bend Stir Crazy is burning lots of kernels, which are not popping. Does this happen to you. I can't figure out why. Seems to be happening more and more, but sometimes, not at all.

Xexo wrote:

JoelF wrote:We're on our second West Bend Stir Crazy in 36 years of marriage, we've found it to be very effective. I think we trashed the first one after the non-stick coating wore away. (Note that the older models have a domed, not cylindrical lid).

Hey Joel, my West Bend Stir Crazy is burning lots of kernels, which are not popping. Does this happen to you. I can't figure out why. Seems to be happening more and more, but sometimes, not at all.

Nope, rarely a burnt kernel.
Is it possible your popcorn is stale? If it has lost moisture it might not pop.

Xexo wrote:Which is your favorite? Or you top three favorites?

My favorite is Mushroom, named for shape not flavor. I also like Baby White, Rainbow, Red and medium Yellow. Not a stinker in the bunch, and I have tried almost all the offerings over the years.

JoelF wrote:We're on our second West Bend Stir Crazy

If you buy Amish Country Popcorn and pop it any other way than heavy lidded pot on the stove, aside (maybe) from a Whirley Pop Popcorn Popper I will come over to your house and yell at you. ~

My technique, and serious popcorn cooks in general.
Med high burner heat.
Film neutral oil in a heavy bottom pot, add two kernels of popcorn, when they pop remove/eat, layer popcorn in even layer.
Cover.
Shake, shake, shake, shake
When popping slows to just a few pops pour in a big bowl.
Lightly salt just out of pot/while still hot for best results.
Use residual heat in pot to melt butter.
Add flavor, Zaatar, chili oil, cheese powder etc.

G Wiv wrote:

Xexo wrote:Which is your favorite? Or you top three favorites?

My favorite is Mushroom, named for shape not flavor. I also like Baby White, Rainbow, Red and medium Yellow. Not a stinker in the bunch, and I have tried almost all the offerings over the years.

JoelF wrote:We're on our second West Bend Stir Crazy

If you buy Amish Country Popcorn and pop it any other way than heavy lidded pot on the stove, aside (maybe) from a Whirley Pop Popcorn Popper I will come over to your house and yell at you. ~

My technique, and serious popcorn cooks in general.
Med high burner heat.
Film neutral oil in a heavy bottom pot, add two kernels of popcorn, when they pop remove/eat, layer popcorn in even layer.
Cover.
Shake, shake, shake, shake
When popping slows to just a few pops pour in a big bowl.
Lightly salt just out of pot/while still hot for best results.
Use residual heat in pot to melt butter.
Add flavor, Zaatar, chili oil, cheese powder etc.

Thanks for the recommendations. What, I can't use my wok? But the Wok Therapist says I can!

And I thought Whirley Pop Corn Poppers were for roasting coffee, not for popping pop corn.

JoelF wrote:Nope, rarely a burnt kernel.
Is it possible your popcorn is stale? If it has lost moisture it might not pop.

I bought new from the store, so I hope it was fresh. I'll try again. Thanks.