Shopping for popcorn machines is fun. They are interesting and unusual. Also, you will anticipate the happy times you will spend using them for parties and movie nights. Here are nine features to think about as you look at all the fancy popcorn poppers.

1. Style. This is the first thing you will probably notice about these novelty items. There are many different styles of nostalgic or retro popcorn cart to choose. Some others are Metropolitan style, which is based on the art deco period. The cinema style has a Hollywood theme.

2. Pedestal. Some of the popcorn machines sit on a table top, and so do not need a pedestal. Others might be best used with a pedestal, which may come separately. If you find a popper that comes with a pedestal, check to see if it has shelves for your supplies.

3. Wall placement. Some popcorn machines can be placed on a wall. This makes them more convenient in a home or other setting that has limited space. Others must be free-standing and have room around them.

4. Type of popping. Some of the popcorn machines used for home entertaining are hot air poppers. The larger poppers generally pop corn in hot oil, in a kettle.

5. Type and size of kettle. If you are buying a popcorn machine that pops with hot oil, a kettle will be included. The best material for the kettle is anodized aluminum. The size you get will be determined by how much popcorn you want to pop. For less than 85 quarts per hour, a 4 ounce kettle would be fine. 127 to 170 quarts per hour needs an 8 ounce kettle.

6. Old maid drawer. Especially in the oil popcorn machines, you will often find an old maid drawer. These drawers are covered with perforated trays, where un-popped kernels fall through and do not get mixed in with the edible popcorn.

7. Warming deck. A warming deck makes sense to keep large amounts of popcorn heated in a large popcorn machine. That is because the heat rises and warms all the popcorn.

8. Tempered glass panels. If you choose one of the large squared-off popcorn machines, look for tempered glass panels. They will not only look nice in your home, but they will also be durable and resistant to the heat of the popper.

9. Ease of maintenance. A good popcorn machine will need little maintenance besides adequate cleaning. If you get a popper with a kettle, this part will need to be wiped with a damp cloth when you finish using it for the day. Any stainless steel trays can be removed and cleaned, and the glass can be cleaned with a glass solution.

In all these ways, you can judge whether a popcorn machine is right for you. Take the time to research the individual products to find out what will work best in your home or business.

For purchasing information visit Bargains Delivered Popcorn Machines or HouseholdsDelivered.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bob_Schmitt

Interesting Facts About the Popcorn Board and Popcorn Export!

Interesting Facts about the Popcorn Board and Popcorn Export! With the US. producing over 500,000 tons of popcorn per year and over 100,000 tons is exported, somebody needs to control this well liked snack. That's where congress comes in. We have the United States Popcorn Board. The Popcorn Board works to inform consumers about research, promotions,and the economic importance of popcorn.The Popcorn Board consists of a nine member panel.

The Panel is chosen from processors who typically distribute over 4 million pounds of popcorn annually. The Secretary of Agriculture nominates members from a list submitted by the industry itself. The board is funded by assessments from all processors and is limited to individual assessments of $81,000.

The USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) monitors the Board's administration.

The United States Popcorn Board is a Consumer Information Act signed by president Clinton. President Clinton being a big popcorn fan, signed the act on April 4, 1996.The law is TITLE 7 > CHAPTER 101 > SUBCHAPTER V > - 7481. It is commonly know as Popcorn Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act.

Congress says that-

* Popcorn is an important food that is a valuable part of the human diet;

* The production and processing of popcorn plays a significant role in the economy of the United States in that popcorn is processed by several popcorn processors, distributed through wholesale and retail outlets, and consumed by millions of people throughout the United States and foreign countries;

* Popcorn must be of high quality, readily available, handled properly, and marketed efficiently to ensure that the benefits of popcorn are available to the people of the United States;

* The maintenance and expansion of existing markets and uses and the development of new markets and uses for popcorn are vital to the welfare of processors and persons concerned with marketing, using, and producing popcorn for the market, as well as to the agricultural economy of the United States;

* The cooperative development, financing, and implementation of a coordinated program of popcorn promotion, research, consumer information, and industry information is necessary to maintain and expand markets for popcorn;

* Popcorn moves in interstate and foreign commerce, and popcorn that does not move in those channels of commerce directly burdens or affects interstate commerce in popcorn.

The latest Census of Agriculture states that, domestic production was over 996 million pounds in 1997.

Popcorn is grown in 25 states. The top 5 major producing states in 1997 are Nebraska (27%), Indiana (21%), Illinois (13%), Ohio (9%) and Missouri with (6%).

Popcorn is exported to over 90 countries. In 1999 the 2 largest export markets were Mexico (17% exported) and Canada (14% exported). Other major export markets are Sweden, The United Kingdom, Germany,Spain, Italy, Thailand, Korea, Denmark, The Philippines and Japan.

Most of the world's production of popcorn is from the United States. Small Amounts are usually imported from Canada and Argentina.

For Great Gourmet Popcorn supplies, Please visit us at Gourmet Popcorn. We carry a wide assortment of Popcorn poppers too! Hand crank popcorn poppers

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=A.l._Castle

Home Theater Popcorn Cart - How to Pick the Right One For You

Imagine sitting at home, enjoying the view of a great new movie in your home theater. It's all there - a widescreen HD TV or large projector screen, surround sound, a DVD and/or Bluray disc player. Or is it?

Picture yourself settling down on your couch or recliner in front of the movie... with a freshly popped, hot bag of popcorn in your lap. Is your mouth watering yet?

Home theater popcorn machines have recently became huge successes in the home theater department. And why wouldn't they be popular? Just about everyone can appreciate fresh popcorn at a home premier. There are a lot more reasons though why now is a better time than ever to make a popcorn machine an addition to your home.

First of all, today's popcorn machines are very low maintenance. Some models even require no maintenance at all - you can pop night after night without ever touching them. These machines are also very affordable so you can find a machine for just about any budget. The ability to measure and pop the perfect amount of popcorn for each serving makes popping yourself a bag easier than ever - just fill the machine up with corn and pop away until it's all gone and it's time to refill again. There is a wide variety to choose from, too, with styles ranging from counter-top models to the more old school 1900's style popcorn machines.

Shopping for a popcorn machine, though, can be a little tricky. One of the most important factors in selecting a popcorn machine for your home is the knowledge of how large a kettle you need. If you choose one that's too small, you'll find yourself constantly popping popcorn instead of enjoying your movie. If you choose one that's too large, you'll end up with a lot of wasted popcorn.

An easy way to tell what size of kettle you'll need is to know how much microwave popcorn you'll eat. A typical bag of microwave popcorn is 3-6 oz. Each bag has about 2.5 standardized servings. So, if you're going by this information, you know that:

- A 4 oz. popcorn machine will make about four servings in three minutes
- A 6 oz. popcorn machine will make about six servings in three minutes

Let's say you and your family typically eat a whole bag each, though. In that case, you know that:

- A 4 oz. popcorn machine will make about one serving in three minutes
- A 6 oz. popcorn machine will make about two servings in three minutes
- A 8 oz. popcorn machine will make about four servings in three minutes

So as you can see, if you know how much microwave popcorn you and your family can eat during a movie, you'll know exactly what size of kettle you need.

Home theater popcorn machines aren't just for home theaters, either. They make great additions to any recreational area, be it your pool house, game room, or even bedroom. The chances of finding the perfect popcorn machine for your home are better than ever, and with a little looking, you are sure to find a popcorn machine that will last your family for years to come.

A home theater popcorn cart would complete the movie theater experience. Let the popcorn take you back to the time you watched that scene through your butter soaked fingers because you couldn't watch but couldn't look away either.

Discover more about home theaters at: http://www-home-theaters.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Rehnquist

Popcorn Factories

Popcorn has been an ideal anytime snack for most families. Popcorn is available in many flavors such as caramel, plain salted, tomato, cheese, Dill Pickle, Salt and Vinegar, Cheese, White Cheddar, Holiday Corn, and White Popcorn.

Popcorn factories supply ready to eat instant popcorns in various types such as buttered popcorns, plain salted popcorns and many types of flavors to meet the ever increasing demand for readymade popcorn. There are popcorn parlors that generally need stock in bulk and some factories supply raw material to them. Most factories produce popped corn as well as unprocessed corn kernels to cater to the requirement of both types of buyers. All these products carry necessary instructions needed to pop corn and mention shelf life.

Factories manufacture popcorn vending machines that offer bulk-popping corn, which are often found in malls, exhibitions and at birthday parties and different occasions where popcorn is consumed in large quantities. Popcorn factories manufacture a huge selection of movie theater quality popcorn machines too. They carry warranty and guarantee for the same.

Factories also manufacture popcorn portion packs, which include pre-measured amounts of popcorn, seasoning salt and flavored oil. Along with this, they may also produce accessories such as popcorn buckets, popcorn bags, popcorn boxes and more.

Some popcorn factories may offer popcorn machines to buyers. People can access such information online through websites of vendors. This makes shopping for popcorn machines and other fun food equipment simple and easy. People may choose popcorn machines that suit all needs, for small home use popcorn machines to large heavy vending machines.

Other than manufacturing, these factories also carry on the process of branding and marketing popcorn products. This is an essential function as it helps to increase their sales to a large extent. Many factories have separate departments that specialize in standardization and advertising. They also inform wholesalers and retailers of new brands that are coming up. Most factories directly sell to wholesale dealers and retailers and there are no minimum purchase requirements.

Popcorn provides detailed information on Popcorn, Popped Popcorn, Popcorn Machines, Popcorn Factories and more. Popcorn is affiliated with How Many Carbs In Pizza.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Elizabeth_Morgan

Popcorn: Snack or Vegetable? Do or die?

When someone says "popcorn", the first image in my head is being at the theatre watching the latest blockbuster. Popcorn has always been a major component of the theatre-going crowd's gear. Personally, it is not the same going to the movies and NOT having popcorn - it is like something is missing. For others it might be the soda, the hot dog or the nachos.

Some food for thought. One large popcorn at the movies is about 20 cups of popcorn, popped in coconut oil and topped with butter (or topping as many places are not butter). Total calories: about 1600! Take the butter (topping) out of the equation and you drop to 1160 calories for a large popcorn. Big difference! 600 calories for the same amount air popped (no topping). So when you hear that popcorn is a healthy snack, they are not talking about the large tub, no TUB, of popcorn at the theatre.

For having possibly ruined your next movie outing, I apologize. There has been a trend over the last few years to create healthy versions of popcorn. Or are these versions of popcorn truly healthy? Numerous companies have created a variety of microwave popcorns - from butter or fat free, flavored and organic. Depending on your diet, there is enough choice to please everyone and you can "pop" it in the microwave, wait a few minutes and presto, the popcorn is done.

Controversy surrounds microwave popcorn. Terms like "popcorn lung", a chemical called diacetyl, and fluorooctanoic acid are thrown around stating microwave popcorn allegedly can lead to cancer, lung disease and other potentially fatal illnesses. While some of the data points to certain chemicals as the cause, the risk to the consumer is minimal. There seems to be a focus to rid the chemicals used in microwave popcorn, so that is good news.

So now what? I don't know if I want to eat popcorn ever again! Movie popcorn will kill me with caloric content and fat, microwave popcorn will kill me through the chemicals used. What is left? Well there are the traditional poppers that use oil, air poppers, and the in-betweens.

The popcorn poppers I grew up with used oil and are a good alternative; you can control the amount of oil for the most part and you are likely to get most of the kernels to pop. Of course you have to take time to make popcorn this way - no pop-it-in-the-nuker for you now! Once the popcorn is done, you can control how much butter and salt you choose to use as well. Not a bad option when you consider the "killers" above. The traditional popper is hard to find these days, but if you do get one, I believe it to be the best "pop" for your corn.

Air poppers have flooded the market for years and come in all shapes and sizes. The air popper is by far the most health conscious of all forms of popcorn poppers. Yet again, do you have time to make popcorn this way?? Air poppers, as the name states, use hot air to pop the kernels and you end up with dry, did I mention, dry popcorn. Depending on the air popper you have, you will end up with a high ratio of un-popped kernels to popped kernels. The air popper, while it is the healthy person's choice, can create a lot of wasted kernels (unless of course you re-use the kernels like me). And with this final dry product (un-popped kernels removed) it gives you complete control over what you do next. If you drowned the popcorn in butter and salt, you might as well have went to the movies and bought it! Remember, everything is fine in moderation!

The last types that is available are combinations of the above. There are the type that you put in the microwave to pop. Others you put on the stovetop and crank a handle to pop (uses oil). Still another type uses a motorized rotating wand that keeps the kernels moving so they don't burn. (Remember back when? Shaking the entire unit so the kernels didn't burn?). With this kind of popcorn making unit many have nonstick coating surfaces. One last type to mention has been the "retro" popcorn popping unit - many look like scaled-down versions of the popcorn makers in the movie theatres. Some of these type use air, while others use oil.

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Healthy Popcorn Choices

The top four rated microwave popcorns! We all know -- or should know -- that popcorn is officially a whole-grain snack. However, with the plethora of brands and varieites available on the market, do you know which are best? Save yourself time and money and try going with one (or all!) of the following four highly-rated, healthy microwave popcorn choices!

Smart Balance Light Butter
Smart Balance's buttery flavor makes you feel like you're at the movies -- without the grease and guilt. WIth no hydrogenated oils or trans fats, just 100 calories, 3.5 grams of fat, 1 gram of saturated fat and 85 milligrams of sodium per serving (4 popped cups), this popcorn gives you a satisfying snack without ruining your diet. Priced at $2.69 to $3.29 for three, 3-ounce bags; available at grocery stores nationwide.

Newman's Own Organics Pop's Corn, Light Butter
Newman's short ingredient list is all organic, with no hydrogenated oils. It is not quite as buttery as the Smart Balance Light Butter, but is great if you are in the mood for something that tastes less intense. Each serving (3.5 cups popped) has 140 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat and 130 milligrams of sodium. Priced at $2.99 for three, 3-ounce bags; availabe at Whole Foods Markets and other natural grocery stores nationwide.

Jolly Time 100-Calorie Mini Bags, Healthy Pop Butter Flavor
There is a small amount of partially hydrogenated soybean oil in this brand, but the 100-calorie bag is still great for nights alone with a good movie. The whopping 5-fluffy-cup serving has 100 calories, 2 grams of fat, no saturated fat and 200 milligrams of sodium. Priced at $2.39 for four, 1.2-ounce bags; available at grocery stores nationwide.

Newman's Own Organics Pop's Corn 94-percent Fat Free Unsalted
If you prefer all natural popcorn, or dressing it up with your own flavorings, this is the bare-bones pick for you. Like the Newman's Own, this one has no partially hydrogenated oils and is organic. Each serving (3.5 cups) has 120 calories, 1.5 grams of fat, 0.5 grams of saturated fat, and 30mg of sodium. Pop it up, add just a pinch of salt, and you have the perfect snack.

Seven Fun Things You Can Do with Popcorn

by: Gary Nave

What type of popcorn lover are you? How do you cook it, stove top, microwave, air popped or camp fire roasted? How about toppings, naked, salted, drenched in butter, cheese laddened, covered in carmel, or coated in chocolate.

Plain popcorn balls are great on their own. However, you can easily change them into something spectacular. You can cover a popcorn ball with white cake icing and red licorice lace to resemble a baseball. If that is too much, you can dress them up by wrapping them in colored plastic wrap. For halloween, wrap them in orange plastic wrap, glue on cut out construction paper eyes, nose and mouth for an edible mini jack-o-lantern.

Popcorn lends its self for great ideas during halloween. Don't forget the freakishly realistic witch's hand. All you need is plastic food preparation gloves, candy corn for the finger nails, fill with popcorn and a ribbon to close off the bag. Add a plastic spider ring and watch the fingers bend in odd directions.

Need to keep the kids busy for Christmas? Why not set them in front of a bowl of popcorn and string popcorn garland for the Christmas tree. This will keep them busy for a little while. Maybe it will even become a family tradition.

Going to visit a family for the holidays? Why not send a popcorn tin.

Need a teachers gift? Why not make a movie night kit. Fill a bowl with candy, microwave popcorn and a gift certificate to your local movie rental store. This is always a great gift. Or you could fill your own tin with some of the recipes below.

Make your own old time favorite homemade cracker jack mix. (recipe)

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Crackerjacks Caramel Popcorn
CDKitchen http://www.cdkitchen.com

Category: Caramel Corn
Serves/Makes: 4 cups | Difficulty Level: 3 | Ready In: 1-2 hrs

Ingredients:

• 4 cups freshly popped corn lightly salted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup corn syrup (light)
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• Options 1 cup of peanuts

Directions:

My wife makes this and it has crackerjacks beat;

Put popcorn in shallow roasting pan (large pan). In heavy saucepan mix sugar, butter and corn syrup. Stir over medium heat until boiling. Continue boiling 5 min. without stirring. Remove from heat; add vanilla and baking soda. Pour over popcorn; stir to coat well.

Bake in preheated 250 degree oven for 1 hr., stirring several times. Cool, break apart and store in tightly covered container. (Cool on waxed paper so it won't stick to pan) Note; if desired 1 cup. peanuts may be added to popcorn BEFORE adding caramel sauce.

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How about chocolate covered popcorn. All you need is cooked popcorn and chocolate chips. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in the microwave taking time not to burn the chocolate. Put the melted chocolate in a plastic bag, snip the corner off making a tiny hole the size of a pencil point. Squeeze and drizzle over popcorn. Let cool until hardened. This makes great favors for any party.

Now that you have some great ideas, get popping!

Popcorn Diet: Successful Or Unsuccessful?

By: Barney Garcia

There is a lot of confusion concerning diets around North America. One minute we are told that low carb, high fat, high protein diets are best, while the next we hear that high carbohydrate, low fat diets are the ticket to weight loss. However, there is no real secret diet that will work for everyone, and it is important to pick a diet that works well with your likes and lifestyle. In this article we will review a fad diet that was presented to consumers a couple of years back; the popcorn diet.

By now, everyone should know that fad diets fail to work because they are short term, unrealistic, and usually starvation diets that encourage our bodies to pack on the fat after we go off of them. There are some good aspects of the popcorn diet though, which includes snacking all day on air-popped popping corn. Popcorn is very high in dietary fiber which is key for losing weight because of it’s ability to make out stomachs feel fuller for longer without the added calories. Fiber is also essential in maintaining regular bowel health, preventing heart disease and certain cancers. Popcorn is also extremely low in calories which makes it a great food to snack on if you get the munchies.

On the down side however, most people don’t really like the taste of plain popcorn because it is really dry and bland. So instead of having a healthy low calorie snack, they load it up with butter and salt which makes it extremely high in sodium and in many cases, higher in fat than potato chips. Eating an excessive amount of corn can block the absorption of vitamin B, which can result in anemia, low energy levels, skin rashes, depression and short term memory loss.

Don’t let this turn you off from popcorn though! Popcorn can be a great contribution to your diet, and a little salt and butter once in a while won’t kill you either. Just remember, humans can’t live on popcorn alone, and this is why the “popcorn diet” is yet another failed fad. It is also important to note that popcorn belongs in the top five foods that children choke on under the age of five, so refrain from giving your little one popcorn until he/she is older, and make sure you don’t leave any popcorn laying around.

Here is How We Got Microwave Popcorn

Microwave popcorn has led to the creation of even more types of packaging. Microwave popcorn has been around for 25 years, and has really revolutionized the way we make and consume this product. Many people still remember using Jiffy Pop, popcorn as kids. These prepackaged and aluminum foil wrapped products allowed you to heat up and pop the corn right on the top of your stove. It was very clever and appealing the way the foil pouch would gradually enlarge and get bigger until the popcorn was ready.

Popcorn was actually the first food to be microwaved deliberately. Percy Spencer of the Raytheon Corporation was experimenting with a magnetron (a new type of vacuum tube) when he noticed that the chocolate candy bar in his pocket had melted. This gave him the germ of an idea that perhaps corn could be popped using the same technology. You might say the rest is history because microwave popping has become the most common method used in the home setting to make a tasty snack.

Pop in microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes, and remove when the popping slows down. Open the bag carefully and season with salt or your other favorite topping. Popcorn also substitutes as a meal for many consumers in a pinch, and some munch on it when they are in diet mode as it is low in both calories and fat. In fact, one gallon of unbuttered popcorn has a mere 390 calories. Popcorn without that weird yellow stuff.

Microwave popcorn has changed in the last few years with the addition of new flavors like Kettle Corn, a sweet and salty popcorn variation. Kettle Corn microwave popcorns are comparable to movie style butter flavors in calories and fat. Microwave popcorn for butter lovers is definately the way to go. Pop up some family fun!

One little caution here. Microwave popcorn bags can be dangerous, because the popcorn bags get very hot, heating to more than 200 degrees Celsius in a short time, so be sure and exercise caution when using this method. Microwave popcorn also uses the wet-pop method, although the moisture is present in a solidified form of oil, flavoring, and salt that melts when the microwaving process begins.

http://www.my-popcorn-4u.com/pages/microwave.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Yeager

Popcorn: A Whole-Grain Snack

Popcorn is a "good-for-you" snack that is a fun and convenient way for you to meet your daily intake of whole grains.

What Makes Popcorn a Whole Grain?

Whole grains include all three parts of a grain: the bran, the endosperm and the germ. The Bran is the multi-layered outer skin that protects the kernel from damage by weather, water, pests and disease. It contains antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber.

The endosperm in the middle of popcorn provides energy to the plant and is the largest part of the kernel. It contains starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals. The nutrient-packed germ is the embryo of the plant that will reproduce if fertilized by pollen. It contains B vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats. In contrast, refined grains have been stripped of the bran and germ.

Pop Up Three Cups for a Whole Grain Serving

The Dietary Guidelines recommend that we follow an 1800 to 2000-calorie meal plan containing six servings of grains daily, with at least three of these servings being whole-grain. It's not all that difficult to get those three servings! One serving of whole grains is equal to just one ounce.

What Counts as an Ounce Equivalent of Grains?

• 3 cups popped popcorn
• 1 slice whole wheat bread
• 1 /2 cup cooked oatmeal
• 1 /2 small (2 ounce) whole wheat bagel
• 1 /2 whole wheat English muffin
• 1/ 2 cup brown rice or whole wheat pasta
• 5 whole wheat crackers
• 6-inch whole wheat flour tortillas

Popcorn Boosts Overall Nutrition

Popcorn provides a full complement of nutrition benefits, including dietary fiber, protein and B vitamins. By adding other healthful ingredients to popcorn you can make your own delicious, quick and easy snack mix.

Check out the benefits of the following "mix-ins":

• 2 tablespoons whole almonds adds protein, iron and fiber
• 1 /3 cup chopped dried fruit adds iron and fiber
• 2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese adds protein and calcium
• 2 tablespoons soy nuts adds fiber and calcium
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds adds protein and fiber
• 1 /2 cup dry unsweetened cereal adds iron and B vitamins
• 10 pretzel sticks adds B vitamins

Popcorn...A Nutrient Packed Snack

Nutrition experts give popcorn high marks for its poppin' good benefits.

• Popcorn is an excellent source of fiber, which increases the feeling of being full and helps to steady blood sugar levels.
• The fiber in popcorn, in conjunction with a low-fat eating plan, may help lower fat and cholesterol.
• Popcorn helps aid in weight control as part of a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan. Popcorn can be incorporated as a satisfying low-fat snack, reducing your cravings for other high-fat, high-calorie snacks.

Easy Ways to Include More Whole Grains in Your Diet

• Pop up a mini-bag of Jolly Time Healthy Pop 94 percent fat-free Microwave Pop Corn as a snack or accompaniment to lunch.
• Replace up to half of the white flour with whole wheat flour in recipes for cookies and breads.
• Try a hot or cold whole grain side dish made with brown or wild rice, kasha or bulgar.
• Choose whole grain breads, tortillas, bagels, pita pockets and rolls.
• Try rolled oats or crushed whole grain cereal as breading for meats, poultry and fish.
• Use whole grain bread or cracker crumbs in meat loaf.
• Snack on ready-to-eat, whole grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.

Popcorn Machine Reviews - Whirley Pop 6-Quart Stove Top and the Stainles Steel 6-Quart Stove Top

First, let’s look at the Whirley Pop 6-Quart Hand-Cranked Stove Top Popcorn Popper which retails at around $22-25 dollars. I kept this pricing in mind in providing this review. When a popcorn machine is this cheap, you have to limit your expectations and your criticism and only pull the product up if it has clear faults -- which in my view this one does.

First, the plus points. The Whirley Pop does produce popcorn that tastes just like granma used to make. For this reason alone, this product will do its bit to ensure the continuing popularity of stove top popcorn machines in the face of competition from modern electric popcorn machines. The Whirley Pop works extremely quickly, producing 6 quarts of popcorn in 3 minutes. This is staggeringly fast popcorn production.

So what is wrong with this machine? Well, I think the problem stems from the fact that in order to keep the price down, too many corners have been cut on design and materials. The bottom of the pan is very thin and the aluminum showed some warping after reheating and cooling. The stirring mechanism on the top did not run smoothly. I did a bit of internet research and I found a number of reviews that pulled the product up on this point. Some reviewers reported that the stirring mechanism seized up once in a while, and others said it packed up all together. You’ll also find that even if you do use the stirring mechanism as instructed, you still have to time it just right to pop most of the kernels without burning any. To be fair, all stove tops are likely to burn the popcorn if you don’t keep an eye on things, which leads many to opt for electric popcorn machines such as the West Bend Stir 82306X Stir Crazy 6-Quart Popcorn Popper, which has automatic cut off after a certain time to guard against burning. However, in my view, you lose out on taste when you move away from the stove tops.

In summary, if traditional tasting popcorn is what you are after then the Whirley Pop will produce it, but I am not sure for how long, since it suffers from poor build quality and materials.

Now we come to the Stainless Steel Stove Top Popcorn Popper, which can be yours for around $35, making it around 40% more expensive than the Whirley Pop 6-Quart. The question is, is it worth it? The short answer is, ‘yes’ and I’ll get right to the long answer in the rest of this article.

As with all 6-quart capacity popcorn machines, the Stainless Steel Stove Top is designed to feed the whole family, which it does in about 4 minutes, making it a little slower than the Whirley Pop 6-Quart, but hey, only by a minute. Being made of stainless steel, with sturdy stay-cool wood handles, this is a popcorn machine designed to last the distance, which is of course reflected in the price. The cranking rod mechanism works smoothly to ensure that all the kernels get popped, but as I have already mentioned, keep an eye on things since all stove tops can burn your popcorn if let them at it for too long and don't crank when you are supposed to (refer to the instructions for precise guidance). The Stainless Steel Stove Top also has a butter drip cup that melts butter evenly onto the popcorn, and the end result tastes wonderful -- just like granma used to make. Both our stove tops deliver on taste, but in contrast with the Whirley Pop, the Stainless Steel Stove Top is a popcorn machine that will go on giving that taste for years and years.

So what about the down sides, surely there must be some? Well yes, there is one. The Stainless Steel Stove Top is not the easiest to clean around the cranking stirrer part of the product. The same can be said for the Whirley Pop. I can see that after a while, oil is going to collect around both cranking mechanisms, and depending on how particular you are about your kitchenware being perfectly clean, this is going to be more or less of a issue. I can live with it, but others may opt for a machine that is easier to clean -- a modern electric popcorn machine like the West Bend Stir -- even if this means losing out a bit on taste.

In summary, if you want the best traditional tasting popcorn, which in my view only a stove top will give you, and you want a machine that is built to last, then go for the Stainless Steel Stove Top Popcorn Popper. It will stay in service far longer than the cheaper Whirley Pop. As my father used to say, ‘buy cheap, buy twice’.

© Stephen Turner 2006.

Stephen Turner has set up an information and resource website called Popcorn Machine On the site you'll find loads of popcorn machine information and advice, articles, features, discussion and specially chosen links to other popcorn machine websites, so please take a look. Stephen would also welcome your feedback on the site: click on the contact link on the site. This article may be reproduced in its original form provided that the author's copyright note and this 'author resource paragraph' are displayed below the article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Turner

Unpopped Popcorn - Why Do Some Popcorn Kernels Not Pop?

Who doesn't love large pieces of yummy, tender popcorn ? That's possibly the best thing you could have with you when watching a good movie at the theaters.

But not all pop corn kernels pop even when heated to the right temperature. Kernels that pop only partially typically have hard centers and you certainly will not relish eating them.

Have you ever wondered ...

What Makes Popcorn Pop ?

Every kernel of popcorn has some moisture and oil. It's outer shell is impervious to moisture and strong. When the kernels are heated to a temperature above the boiling point of water, the moisture inside the kernel becomes superheated steam. Pressurized steam.

The steam inside the kernel has nowhere to go as the hull is moisture proof. Under such conditions, the starch in the kernel gelatinizes. It becomes pliable and soft.

On continued heating, the pressure and temperature inside the hull further increase and the hull ruptures. When the hull ruptures, the pressure in the kernel drops. The steam expands rapidly, and the starch and the proteins expand into airy foam.

The foam cools fast, and the starch and proteins become the crispy piece of popcorn that so many people have come to relish.

If this is how popcorn pops, then how come ...

Popcorn Doesn't Always Pop?

For kernels to pop, they have to be heated at an optimal rate. Heat the kernels too fast and the hull ruptures before the starch in the kernel's center can fully gelatinize. This will cause partially popped kernels.

On the other hand, if they are heated too slowly, then the kernels will remain entirely unpopped as the steam can leak out.

Kernels that have too much moisture do not pop well. When you heat freshly harvested popcorn, what you might end up with are chewy pieces.

For the best results, kernels need to have to have the right amount of moisture to create steam, and they have to be heated at the right temperatures. If either of these conditions are not met, popcorn may not pop :-)

Ever wondered Which Brand of Popcorn Pops the Most?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Guru_Bhakt

A Little Background on Popcorn Poppers

Popcorn has been around since the mid-1800's. Poppers have been found measuring up to eight feet across to handle large amounts.

Popcorn is always a hit. Popcorn is a delicious and healthy snack that's high in fiber, sugar-free, fat-free (when popped without oil or butter), and low in calories. Now you can pop regular popcorn in your microwave; it's less than half the price of the special microwave type popcorn, and healthier since there are no artificial additives. Popping without oil means you can easily enjoy a fresh, delicious bowl of popped corn.

Popcorn machines make a great decorative addition for your home theater or game room. Enjoy theater style popcorn taste and aroma in your own home. Popcorn is a whole grain nutritious snack for the family. Three cups of popcorn equals one whole grain serving.

Popcorn pops because steam builds up inside the kernel when heated and it actually explodes. Some corn is good for drying and popping, but other varieties are not. Popcorn vending machines can generally be divided into three size categories: small, midsize, and large. Small commercial popcorn poppers range from 4 to 8 ounce kettle sizes, whereas midsize machines range from 12 to 16 ounce kettle sizes, and large machines range anywhere from 20 ounce kettle sizes to 52 ounces and larger.

Microwavable popcorn, for example, changed the industry in the 1980s and it has become a household staple. Variety tins and special flavored gourmet popcorn have also gained popularity, not to mention that it is the top choice of tasty snacks for moviegoers. Microwavable popcorn, for example, changed the industry in the 1980's and it has become a household staple. Variety tins and special flavored gourmet popcorn have also gained popularity, not to mention that it's the top moviegoers snack choice.

Your popper should be cleaned after every use, if you remember. Generally, poppers are stored on the stove tops or on refrigerator tops. Clean water should be available to everyone in the country. Do your part to ensure that water in your area as well as the rest of the country is clean and safe.

http://www.my-popcorn-4u.com/pages/poppers.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Yeager

Seasoned Popcorn

Here are some fun ways to zip-up the flavor of popcorn without adding calories or fat. You will need a hot-air popper to make the popcorn (or you can use a popper that calls for 1-teaspoon of canola oil -- but that adds a fat exchange).

Using 3-cups unseasoned popped corn, one carbohydrate (1 bread/starch) exchange, you can make these treats:

Asian Popcorn
Preheat oven to 250-degrees. Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Mix together 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce, 2-teaspoons fresh lemon juice, 1-teaspoon five-spice powder, 1/4-teaspoon ground coriander, and 1/4-teaspoon garlic powder. Drizzle over popcorn. Toss to coat evenly. Bake ten minutes, tossing once. Serve warm.

Italian Popcorn
Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Mix together 1-teaspoon crushed dried Italian herbs, 1/8-teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over popcorn and lightly coat again with cooking spray. Toss. Bake for ten minutes, tossing once. Serve warm.


Mexican Popcorn
Put the popcorn in a large bowl and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Combine 1-tablespoon dried Mexican spiced salad dressing mix with 1/4-teaspoon crushed dried oregano, 1/4-teaspoon crushed dried thyme, and 1/4-teaspoon garlic powder. Sprinkle over popcorn. Toss to evenly coat. Lightly coat with additional cooking spray. Toss again and serve.

Orange Popcorn
Put the popcorn in a large bowl and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2-1/2-tablespoons orange-flavored powdered drink mix (already sweetened with sugar substitute) and 1/2-teaspoon dried orange peel. Toss and coat again with cooking spray. Toss and serve.

Spicy and Sweet Popcorn
Preheat oven to 300-degrees. Spread popcorn on a nonstick cookie sheet and lightly coat with refrigerated butter-flavored cooking spray. Combine 2-1/2 tablespoons spoonable sugar substitute, 1/4-teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8-teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/4-teaspoon dried orange peel. Sprinkle over the popcorn and toss. Lightly coat again with cooking spray and toss. Bake for ten minutes, tossing once. Serve warm.