My friend Robyn is The Gift Swami. She knows exactly what will make me squeal like a little girl. Like the above.
And the above.
And these.
And this. Sigh.
This list could get very long. My house and person are peppered with recent thoughtful birthday and Christmas Robyn gifts.
But this? A popcorn popping pan with a rotating handle thingy? YES. Because even though when I opened it at Christmas I had more of a puzzled-raised-eyebrow-reaction than a squeal she knew that I would love this Whirley-Pop. AND I DO. Oh, yes, yes, YES I do!
I love me some popcorn. I eat it several days a week. To the point where I can sense without looking the slightly judgy arched brow of my husband as I bring yet another late night bowl of popcorn to the TV. I've contemplated serving popcorn for dinner many times, but microwave popcorn doesn't really ping the meter for that. It's quick of course, and the brand we buy is relatively not horrible for you.
But THIS. Is popcorn excellence. It tastes so much better than microwave popcorn. It's funny how you forget what things are supposed to taste like. I hadn't popped corn on the stove since high school.
Thanks to Robyn, it's great to have control over the type of corn we pop (read non-GMO). We can use healthy oil (we use olive oil) and vary the amount according to preference, 1-3 TBS (we use two). The rotating bar thingy inside the pan keeps the popcorn from burning and gets almost every kernel popped. No waste. No blackened kernels stuck to the pan.
Half a cup of kernels fills this deep pot entirely with popped popcorn. Way more than you get in a microwave bag.
After it's done you can heap all the salt or flavorings you want on top but my current favorite is this sesame oil that Robyn sent with it. Mmm mm mm mm mm. Yummo. Michael likes Tabasco.
Granted, cleanup is more than just tossing a greasy bag in the trash. But the effort involved is minimal. I give the lid a quick sponge and rinse the pot out with water and give it a wipe with a paper towel. Done. It just stays on my counter top because we use it so often. NOW I can serve popcorn for dinner if I like. Thank you again, Robyn, for elevating our popcorn habits. I just had to share your gifting prowess.
Now I will totally copy you and give this magical thing to others.
We have a Whirley-Pop and I love it! This is my favorite "fancy" popcorn recipe - I add a bit of parmesan too, sometimes. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/popcorn-with-rosemary-infused-oil-recipe.html
ReplyDeleteOh, thanks, Wendi. That sounds intriguing...I've never tried rosemary with popcorn. I'll have to give that a whirl. haha. See what I did there?
DeleteI love my Whirley Pop! Since you're using sesame oil on your popcorn, why not use it instead of olive oil to cook it? That's what I do, and it is delicious!
ReplyDeleteHey, Katie, I have a very limited amount of sesame oil is the only reason...I save it to drizzle over afterward. But your way sounds delicious!
DeleteI am SO jealous! I've wanted a Whirley-Pop for years. You've inspired me to order one for myself.
ReplyDeleteLaura Jean, wHoohoo! let there be whirling and popping in your life very soon. You'll love it.
DeleteWe have a whirley-pop, but it lives in the garage because my husband uses it to roast his own coffee beans. I usually get some organic popcorn that doesn't have anything added to it but salt, but methinks I should invest in another whirley-pop and just make it myself. Coconut oil might be another good choice for the popping.
ReplyDeleteSkooks,
DeleteNow THAT'S fancy...DIY roasted coffee beans. Wow. But yeah, you need one in the kitchen cause you are missing out on some good corn.
can we know the provenance of the books and the calendar? i loooooooooooooooove the calendar. and the books.
ReplyDeleteOh, sorry, Jeannette. Should've thought of that.
DeleteBooks: https://riflepaperco.com/shop/books/in-bloom-book-collection/
Calendar: https://www.etsy.com/shop/littlethingsstudio?ref=l2-shopheader-name
uh - wow - she is truly a great gift-giver.....and I love all those items - and especially the whirly-pop thingy...I WANT ONE - haha....I have popped some corn in a big pot on the stove numerous times this last year, but its always slightly panic-inducing as you get to that "is there still more to pop or is it all turning black yet? stage - but you are right - there is nothing better than "real" popped corn - light years better than microwave popcorn, no question. :-) Pop on girl!
ReplyDeleteYes, indeedy, Lori. You need a whirley pop! I hate blackened pan bottoms with stuck on popcorn. ew.
DeleteAw, I just thought I'd check in with you before bed and I'm so glad I did! I knew the popcorn popper would seem a bit random, but every member of my family loves ours, so I knew it would be a hit. Yay! Now I need to get myself some of that sesame oil...
ReplyDelete:-) Thanks again! Yes, Robyn, get some sesame oil. It's so good! I'll have to get more and try using it to pop the corn, like Katie suggested.
DeleteTry it with Herbamare organic leek salt! Fabulous! It s great on eggs and a lot of other stuff too. You can get it on Amazon if you can't find it at your grocery.
ReplyDelete