Whirley-Pop Popcorn
If you don't have a Whirley Pop, I strongly suggest you get one. We're on our third, and I'd estimate we've cranked this contraption into snack action more than 2,000 times over the past decade and a half. Kim (my sister) is responsible for adding this must-have popcorn maker to our kitchen, as she gifted us our first one close to 15 years ago. We don't do the microwave-popcorn thing (we don't even do the microwave thing), so this was a much-appreciated gift. A movie in our house isn't watched without a freshly popped batch; and a few times/week, a warm bowl was waiting on the table when the kids came home from school. (I just made it on Friday for Catherine and her friends, in fact.) All you need is some kernels (I typically use organic popcorn from Arrowhead Mills or Whole Foods), oil and salt. I don't add butter, but sometimes the kids heat some up and pour it over the bowl. Nor am I big on flavored popcorn, although Heidi Swanson's Tumeric Popcorn recipe caught my eye recently. If you're in need of a last-minute holiday gift idea, I highly recommend a Whirley Pop, a set of popcorn-serving bowls and a few bags of kernels. Your friends and/or family members, young and old, will thank you!
Serves 4
Ingredients
1/2 cup popcorn kernels
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon salt (you can adjust this to your liking, but I usually start w/ 1/2 tsp. & add more, if needed)
Preparation
Pour oil into the Whirley Pop, then add popcorn, followed by salt.
Place Whirley Pop on stove and set heat to Medium-Medium High.
Hold the wooden handle with one hand, and slowly turn the crank with the other. Continue stirring for about 3 minutes or until you only hear an occasional pop or the crank becomes difficult to turn. (Do not force the crank. Simply remove the popper from the heat and let the last few kernels pop on a side burner.)
Pour the popped popcorn into serving bowl(s).
