Not so fast bucko!
Yes it true that Microwavable Popcorn, the kind we know today, didn't take off until the mid 80s. First there was one you had to put into the fridge and then in the mid 80s versions that you could keep in a cabinet came out.
But he forgot that we had air poppers like this.
In the back of the orange piece is where you put your butter. Turn it on and it melts dripping on the popcorn as it pops.
I remember the advent of microwavable popcorn because my father was a popcorn fiend. One day I came home and one of our cabinets was loaded with boxes of microwavable popcorn. The air popper went into storage and we never used it again.
We also had Jiffypop - stove top heated, pre packaged, seasoned and buttered popcorn.
ReplyDeleteMicrowave popcorn is indeed easier and less bulky than the hot-air popper. However, now that I think about it, I think that the hot-air popper produced a nearly perfect bowl of popcorn every time... None of the burnt or leftover kernels you get in microwave popcorn.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing this is because in a hot-air popper, when the kernel pops, it usually pops OUT of the heat, and stops cooking. There is no such escape route for the early popping kernel in your microwave! ;>
We had the exact same popper, but the melting-butter attachment never seemed to deliver.
ReplyDeleteThe microwave is clearly the best thing to happen to popcorn. Short of cooking up a bag with heat-beams shot from your own eyes, I can't think of a better way to go.
I agree with Alan. The hot-air poppers made some excellent corn. The microwave ones do a good job, but if given the choice, I'd choose hot air. But if really given the choice, I'd go with a the original hot kettle variety. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm usually too busy drinking ale and smoking spleef to worry about the snacks. Unless I have to drive home, then my preference is of course for chips, dips, and maybe pizza.
ReplyDeleteA great friend of mine had the hot air popper when we were in collage and I bet he still has it. I love that thing, I'll take it over microwave popcorn any time. Now, I wanna purchase one of those things! I wonder if they are still in production?
ReplyDeleteI still have and use my old hot-air popper, great gaming snack. We'll sometimes pop them in a kettle which is my favorite way of eating the stuff. Never got on with the microwave stuff.
ReplyDeleteBrunomac: I find those times that we do mix speef and gaming the snacks become all the more important.
Oh please! What a bunch of infants!
ReplyDeleteIn my day we used hot OIL to pop our popcorn.
And we rode our bikes withOUT helmets.
Played in the creek out back, stayed out till dark without GPS tracking or cell phones.
Don't get me started about the walk to school, uphill both ways in the snow...
GSV I actually did walk uphill both ways in the snow. Small hill on the way to school, bigger one on the back. Builds character. ;)
ReplyDeleteThe rest is true as well though Doritos were our snack of choice
However I didn't have a bike (no roads to speak of)
I don't know about the dripping butter thing. We never did that, we just melted the butter in the cup in the top of the popper, and when the popping was done would remove the cup and pour the butter over the popcorn in the bowl.
ReplyDeleteHaving the butter drip down from the cup seems like it'd be a fire hazard, if the butter ever found its way to the heating element. Also: messy.