Popcorn

Unpopped Gourmet Popcorn

2008-05-10T13:03:00.000-07:00

Unpopped gourmet popcorn solves a few gift giving problems, you know.

See, everyone loves popcorn and people love to give popcorn away as gifts. However, popped popcorn takes a up a fair amount of space which sometimes poses a problem when the intended recipient has to travel back home from a holiday or something.

Popped popcorn is also pre-seasoned. That's great when you know that the intended recipient really wanted to experience "bacon cheddar popcorn", but it can be a problem when you don't know his or her exact tastes.

And, like any prepared food, popped popcorn does have a limited shelf life. What if the person to whom you're going to give popcorn won't or can't eat it all before it's "too late". A single person, for instance, might not need a giant tin of corn all at one time.

Tada! Unpopped gourmet popcorn to the rescue.

It's not popped, so it takes up less space. It's not preseasoned. Oh, and it'll last just about as long as anyone would ever need it to last.

A perfect gift solution for the times when a tin of popped corn just doesn't make sense. That's unpoppped gourmet popcorn!

How does popcorn pop?

2008-05-10T12:10:00.000-07:00

How does popcorn pop?

That's a popular question. Ol' Pappy Korn has answered it more than one time, I'll tell you that for sure. It seems like everyone interested in the science of corn popping. What makes the stuff blow up like that, anyway?

The scientists at NASA figured it out for us:

" So just how does popcorn pop? Only popcorn kernels can pop, and the secret is water. Each kernel contains a small amount of water stored in a circle of soft starch inside the hard outer casing. When heated to around 450� F, the moisture turns to steam, creating pressure within. As the pressure builds, the casing eventually gives way, and the kernel explodes and pops, allowing the water to escape as steam and turning the kernel inside out. If you have ever popped popcorn, you know that it explodes everywhere!"

So, that's how popcorn pops!

Gold Medal Popcorn Machines

2008-05-10T12:00:00.000-07:00

Gold Medal Popcorn Machines are the "gold standard" of the popcorn concession business. These rugged, durable and popular machines are probably the most popular in the industry.

(looking for a Gold Medal machine: Gold Medal Popcorn Machines)

What makes the Gold Medal products so in-demand.... It's easy.

1. They work. These poppers are notorious for turning out tasty, perfect popcorn. You don't have to worry about quality problems with Gold Medal.

2. They keep working. Gold Medal machines are notorious durable. You can make A LOT of popcorn with a GM machine--without experiencing significant downtime or a decrease in quality.

3. They're affordable. You're not going to find a Gold Medal at ridiculously low prices, but you can get a whale of a deal on a popper. When you consider the overall quality, they are actually EXTREMELY cheap.

4. They're supported. Gold Medal also churns out every supply you need to run a popper. You don't have to worry about parts, equipment, product or anything else. Gold Medal stuff is readily available, reasonably priced and of high quality.

If you're looking for a machine, you should be looking for a Gold Medal machine.

Check out these deals on Gold Medal Popcorn machines and their other fine products:

Gold Medal Popcorn Machines

Who invented popcorn?

2008-05-10T11:55:00.000-07:00

Who invented popcorn?

Well, I did. Pappy Korn of Las Vegas Nevada is the inventor of popcorn. It all happened back in 1932. I was a young whippersnapper with a few ears of corn and a dream. I discovered that you could pop it, salt it, butter it and have a nice treat!

It didn't take long for me to become a billionaire with popping corn! Everyone loved it, after all.

Okay, I'm kidding. I'm not the inventor, I'm just a fan. So, who invented popcorn? We'll never know his or her name. We do know, however, that whoever came up with the idea lived a long time ago.

Researchers have found evidence of popcorn dating back almost 7,000 years. They actually found POPPED kernels in a Utah cave that were over 1,000 years old. Popcorn has been around for a long time and it seems like it probably originated in what is now the American West/Southwest, but it's impossible to definitively identify the individual who came up with the yummy idea.

If it makes you feel better, though, you can say that Pappy Korn invented it in 1932.

What kind of popcorn pops the most?

2008-05-10T11:52:00.000-07:00

Would you like to know what kind of popcorn pops the most? Yeah, so would several thousand other students forced to do a "popcorn experiment".

Here's the scoop, kids. Everyone is gonna get fairly different results because there are so many different variables at play. There's no real solid answer available to the question and, to tell you the truth, your teacher doesn't give a hoot about your actual conclusions.

The point of the experiment is to show that you can go through the process, log your results properly, and present a reasonably coherent final report.

So, spend a little less time trying to shortcut your way to an answer and just do the silly project. It won't take long and if you put your mind to it, you'll probably end up with an easy "A".

That's my opinion, anyway. And trust me, Pappy Korn knows what he's talking about!

Which brand of popcorn pops the most?

2008-05-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Which brand of popcorn pops the most?

It depends on which student you ask. I say "student" because millions of American kids are forced to conduct a "popcorn experiment" every year. They take a few different brands, toss them in the microwave, analyze the end results and write a paper in hopes of getting an "A".

You might think that the more expensive brands outperform the cheaper ones, but at least one student found out in his/her study that wasn't the case. There didn't seem to be a definitive relationship between the cost per kernel and the actual total number of kernels popped.

Surprising, but true. At least in that case. That's the thing about the experiment--it fails to control a ton of different variables, making even the results from the kid at the head of the class suspect.

So, you wanna know which brand pops the most? I recommend doing the d*mn experiment and getting your grade. In the meantime, do something fun instead. Thinking too hard about popcorn might not be a really good idea, you know...

Popcorn Gift Tins

2008-05-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Popcorn gift tins rank among the most popular inexpensive gift ideas--and for some very good reasons. It's not a huge stretch of the imagination to think that gourmet popcorn and tins brimming with tasty goodness might be the best possible gift for a number of situations. Consider:

(if you're looking for some good options just click this link: Popcorn Gift Tins & More)

*Almost EVERYONE likes popcorn. Very few people will get a tin of popcorn and then frown. It's a nearly universal favorite and it's relatively healthy (so even the fitness buffs on your gift list will be pleased).

*There's so much variety. Popcorn comes seasoned in about a billion different flavors. You can find something for every taste.

*Popcorn gift tins are good-looking. When it comes to gift-giving, presentation is important. Popcorn tins look as good as their contents taste.

*The price is right. Popcorn gifts aren't just inexpensive... When you consider what you're getting, they're downright cheap.

Need proof? Check out these popcorn gift tins:

Popcorn Gift Tins & More

Popcorn Facts: Poppin' ain't new!

2008-05-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

Popcorn facts that might surprise or interest you:

*Yellow kernels outnumber white ones by about 9 to 1 in the average bag of popcorn.

*Experts believe that popcorn was actually the first cultivated form of corn!

*About 50 years ago, researchers found a few old ears of popcorn in a New Mexico cave. These popcorn ears were, get this, about 6,500 years old!

*Researchers found a popped kernel of popcorn in a Utah cave that is believed to be over 1,000 years old.

The moral to the story? Popcorn has been around for a LONG time! When you see popcorn facts like these, it really makes you appreciate the history and longstanding popularity of popcorn!

Which popcorn pops the most kernels?

2008-05-10T11:16:00.000-07:00

Which popcorn pops the most kernels?

That's easy. Good ol' Jiffy Pop ALWAYS pops the most kernels!

Oh, by the way, that's a lie. You can't say what kind of popcorn performs best. Well, you can... But it would require a level of testing much more involved than your usual middle school science project.

No one can tell you with absolute certainty which popcorn pops the most kernels because (a) there are so many different types of popcorn, (b) there are so many different ways to pop popcorn, and (c) there are so many other variables that can play a role in the matter (age of popcorns, temperature, humidity, etc.).

Now, a big ol' lab with a lot of time on its hands could grab similar samples of every available brand and then test them all under a variety of circumstances and conditions in order to discover which popcorn does the best. Guess what, though? No one's gonna do that.

So, until then we're left with the incomplete and inaccurate assessments of a million school kids forced by science and math teachers to conduct little experiments that don't REALLY answer the big question!

Or, you could just decide that Jiffy Pop rules, I guess.

Empty Popcorn Tins

2008-05-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

Empty popcorn tins? Who'd want 'em? Not me. I prefer them full of tasty popcorn.

Oh, I know... Some people like to make their own flavored popcorns and other treats and would love to find some empty tins into which they could put their homemade goodies. I'm sure other people have their reasons to find empty tins, too.

So, where do you get your empty containers?

The magic of the Internet comes to the rescue again. You can find and purchase empty popcorn tins for personal use at a variety of websites.

Companies like Independent Can have empty popcorn tins. You can even go the extra mile and get them custom-printed.

Plastic Popcorn Holders

2008-05-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

Plastic popcorn holders are a little more fun than eating your home-popped corn out of the microwave bag or a bowl. They add a little sense of "special occasion" for home movie night and are a lot of fun.

So, where do you get plastic popcorn holders? Just about anywhere, to tell you the truth. They are readily available at a variety of major retailers. The problem, though, is that they aren't a super high-demand item. Thus, you might waste a ton of time running to Wal-Mart only to find out they don't have them in stock at that moment...

The alternative? Find your plastic popcorn tubs and holders online. My favorite source for good online bargains? Amazon.com.

Just do a search on Amazon for "plastic popcorn holders" and you'll probably find just what you need in record time.

Hey, just to be nice, let me do that search for you! All you have to do is click this link and you'll see what's available through Amazon!

Plastic Popcorn Holders

Popcorn consumption

2008-05-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Popcorn consumption levels are MASSIVE. Americans buy nearly 100 million pounds of popcorn every year!

Surprisingly, perhaps, that figure is actually LOWER than it was about fifteen years ago. Popcorn consumption in the USA peaked in 1993 and has been gradually decreasing.

That might sound like horrible news for popcorn producers, but it's really not as bad as you might think. Even though Americans might be eating a little less popcorn, people throughout the rest of the world are eating more--compensating for the US decreases.

A news article offered via Purdue University noted:

"Popcorn consumption peaked in the U.S. in 1993. Since then, it's been on a slightly downward trend," Ehmke said. "However, popcorn consumption worldwide is going up a little bit, particularly in South America, Europe and Asia. The Chinese and Brazilians are familiar with popcorn, and they're increasing their consumption."

Which popcorn pops the fastest?

2008-05-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Which popcorn pops the fastest?

With so many brands and varieties available and a host of other variables at play, it's difficult to determine which popcorn actually pops the fastest.

One individual set up a full project in order to uncover the answer to this and other popcorn-related questions. Unfortunately, it appears as though the experiment was abandoned.

This is a popular question because kids are often asked to perform tests of this sort as a math/science experiment. If that's why you're here, I recommend just following the teacher's instructions instead of looking for an easy answer!

You can answer this question by testing specific brands against one another, but the results wouldn't really prove much. It'll depend on the method of popping, the age of the competing popcorn types, the brands selected (you can't do them ALL, as a practical matter), etc.

If you're asking for my personal opinion about which popcorn pops the fastest, though, I have an answer. I buy the store brand from Hy-Vee grocery stores and it always seems to pop at a faster rate than other brands!

Which brand of popcorn pops the most?

2008-05-10T10:03:00.000-07:00

Which brand of popcorn pops the most?

We can't say with absolutely certainty what brand of popcorn will yield the most popped kernels. However, a Mercer student did take the time to test three brands (2 recognized versions and a store brand).

What did s/he discover?

" Because of our data we can conclude that the brand that cost the most per kernel does not pop the most popcorn. This shows that the price of the popcorn does not reflect the quality of the kernel."

In other words, don't assume that the price has anything to do with the actual kernel yield!