On This Popcorn, Name Says It All

Sun., March 24, 1996

Michael Hodgson And Bryan Chitwood Special To Outdoors

Product: Skip Yowell’s Howlin’ Yowelln’ Himalayan Huge Size Gourmet Popcorn

Description: Large kernel gourmet popcorn packaged in a 16-ounce wide-mouth water bottle. Refills packaged in a two-pound cotton sack.

Pro: The popcorn comes packaged in a reusable wide-mouth Nalgene bottle that you can use for water or any other camping or backcountry application once the popcorn is gone. If you think the name is a mouthful, get a taste of the corn - outstanding! Batch after batch popped fully and almost completely with very few unpopped kernels.

Con: No microwave or other cooking instructions on the label. OK … so maybe I should know how to cook popcorn, but in the cabin, miles from nowhere with the fire crackling, it’s my humble opinion that popcorn popping should be a no-brainer and that means easy-to-understand instructions.

Comments: The whole secret to cooking good corn in a cabin or ski hut is to use canola oil. Canola oil does not affect the taste and is to popcorn as olive oil is to Italian food. Since the packaging does not come with instructions, I will offer some. For microwave corn, you will need microwave cookware designed to pop corn safely and efficiently. I recommend the Presto microwave popcorn popper. Load with corn according to the directions (either with or without oil) and then cook on high in the microwave for up to four minutes depending on the power of the microwave. Cooking over an open flame is also possible using a campfire popcorn popper with a metal mesh ball at one end and a long handle to keep you safely away from the flames. Load and shake like crazy over the flames until the corn has popped - there is no way to avoid some burning with this method. By far the best way is to use a pan with a touch of canola oil. This method works on the stovetop, the camping stove or over the campfire’s hot coals.

Suggested Retail: $4 for the Nalgene bottle full of popcorn; $4 for 2-pound cotton sack full of popcorn.

Company: Skip’s Popcorn, 9587 153rd Ave. N.E., Redmond, WA 98052; (206) 869-9506