I like popcorn.  No, I REALLY like popcorn.  Not that stuff you get at the grocery store that comes in little paper bags that you nuke in the microwave.  It smells so great, but the taste and texture always disappoint.  I’m talking about the kind of popcorn that Mom used to make on the stovetop, only better.  Here’s how I like it.  But first, a little background.

There are some folks in Indiana who really know popcorn.  They grow it, harvest it, package and sell it, just like many of ABC’s “Direct to You” wineries.  So you know you are getting the best value available. 

These folks have also come up with a popcorn popper that is ingenious.  Now I’m a tool guy, so when I saw the Whirley Pop advertisement, I had to have one.  It’s an aluminum pan with a lid that is split and hinged in the middle.  The lid has a handle with a crank that turns an agitator that keeps the popcorn moving while it heats and pops.  With the Whirley Pop, I make perfectly popped popcorn with no burning and almost no “clinkers”—those unpopped kernels that can crack a filling.

But wait—there’s more.  These folks in Indiana sell several varieties of gourmet popcorn, too.  My favorite is “Ladyfinger”.  These kernels are small and nearly hulless.  And the flavor is great!

So here is my recipe for Whirley Pop popcorn.  Add 3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil to the Whirley Pop and heat on high.  Add ½ cup of popcorn kernels and start turning the crank to coat the popcorn with oil.  Keep cranking as the popcorn heats, and when it starts to pop, reduce the heat to medium high.  Keep cranking until the popping is complete (this only takes a couple of minutes).  Then immediately remove the Whirley Pop from the burner and pour the popcorn into serving bowls, piping hot and smelling mouth-wateringly GREAT!

Then I like to spray a little extra virgin olive oil from a pump sprayer, and finish with freshly ground sea salt.  Sometimes, I sprinkle a little Butt Rub seasoning (“A little Butt Rub Makes everything better”) to add a little spicy heat to my snack.

After I pop the cork on one of ABC’s Direct to You sparkling wines like Chandelles Brut and pop a disc in the Blu-ray player, I’m ready to enjoy my gourmet popcorn and a great movie. And you thought popcorn wasn’t a wine food. (Sparkling wine really does go with everything.)

Sources:

Whirley Pop popcorn popper and gourmet popping corn—www.popcornpopper.com

Butt Rub seasoning—www.buttrub.com

Do you have a favorite “it goes with what?” suggestion? Let us know about it!

 Guest blogger Mike McMinn is the wine consultant in our Winter Haven store.