markman's Profile

I am a long time "Whirley Pop" user. My mother has always made incredible popcorn on the stove in a pot, and a few years ago I set out to try and match her skill. The Whirley Pop is absolutely wonderful. Not fun to clean, but makes a great bowl of popcorn.

There are other things that hugely affect the outcome, though:

1. What type of oil you use. IMHO, canola is the best. Olive oil breaks down at too low a temperature to be useful in making popcorn--that's most likely where SassySally's problem is coming from.

2. The quality of the kernels. It really does make a difference, though not as much as the oil used. I buy organic popcorn from the bins at Whole Foods.

3. The salt used. Assuming you're a "salty popcorn" person, this can make a big difference. I settled on "popcorn salt" a few years ago, which is a basic table salt ground into a finer powder. It adheres to the popped kernel much better. Especially if you get the "oil-to-kernel" ratio right. But that's where the Art comes in, and I can't give away all my secrets! ;)