Customer Reviews

Popcorn

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Popcorn is one of my favorite snacks and I thought I was being adventurous by occasionally sprinking chili powder on mine. Then I read this book that is devoted entirely to adding all kinds of flavors and gourmet touches to this otherwise simple food. Popcorn nirvana does exist!

This cookbook has what one might expect with some recipes for spice blends to sprinkle over popcorn, but it goes beyond that to creating dishes with popped corn as an ingredient such as S'More Popcorn Bars, Hawaiian Luau Bars, Death by Chocolate Popcorn Balls, and even main course dishes such as Mac and Cheese Gratin. Some recipes are sweet, others are savory, and some have an ethnic flavor (Mexican, Asian, Indian, etc.).

I started out with a simple recipe that I enjoyed called Parm and Pepper Popcorn, which included a blend of parmesan cheese, freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes, and paprika, among other ingredients. I look forward to also trying the S'More Bars, Nacho Nacho Man Popcorn, Mocha Chocolata Latte Corn, and the Popcorn-Nut Munch Mix. I have to get used to the idea of using popcorn in main dishes, but I'll probably be Bohemian and try the Mac and Cheese Gratin.

The book includes a history of popcorn, types of popcorn and how they differ, methods of cooking it, and several color photographs of some of the recipes.

This is a fun and unique cookbook and will give me something too look forward to the next time my family asks for popcorn. They're in for a surprise!

I received a copy of this book for review from the publisher but the opinion of it is mine and was not solicited, nor was a positive review required. If I didn't like the book I would say so.

I bought this book one day when I thought popcorn got kind of boring on its own. I love flipping through it because it has some great pictures for almost every recipe. I would not have thought of most of these recipes on my own, and I have enjoyed every one we have tried.
The recipes sometimes call for exotic ingredients (at least to me- spanish smoked paprika??), but the result is tasty every time. The recipes are all well laid out, easy to follow, and very easy to get right. I have read through all the popcorn recipes and thought "well that sounds easy enough, we should try that one next!"
We haven't tried any of the recipes that don't have popcorn as the primary ingredient, but I bet they are good too.

The author reminds me of how lazy I have become. Using pre-packaged microwave popcorn doesn't allow me to control the salt, butter, fat or cholesterol content. It takes just as much time to pop a quart of popcorn on the stove, and you can use olive oil and cover it with Cajun spices, curry mix, bbq sauce & spices, or garlic 3 ways. This book also has recipes for the sweet and savory tooth...like popcorn shrimp...which is actually what you think it would be: popcorn breadcrumb crusted shrimp. It is good too!

This was a stocking stuffer for Debbie who loves popcorn. I just looked at all the great pictures and bought it, but now I have already read it, and I have learned a great deal.

The first thing is that you can write a book about absolutely anything and it will sell, even a book about popcorn. The second thing I learned is that there are such exotic bowls as soaked Spanish paprika and sea salt popcorn, wasabi and ginger popcorn, Hawaiian luau bars, Chile-lime-tequila popcorn, and herbs de Provence popcorn, or you can have some on Pacific Rim pork chops. Below each of these titles are descriptions and then recipe. Sometimes a picture will grace the opposite page. Words like drizzle, coat, moisten make you think you are going to eat something more elegant, and words like "put popcorn in a large, clean, washable muslin bag," will only remind you that it means work.

The next thing I learned was a brief history of popcorn, that there were different types, which previously I would have confused with brands and flavors, popping methods, and that my favorite, store-bought microwave popcorn can give you a chronic affliction called bronchiolitis obliterans, also known as popcorn lung. (His words, not mine). This means if Debbie doesn't feel like making any of these, and I am almost always too lazy to make anything that takes longer to prepare than to consume, it looks like its back to Jiffy Pop.

Other than dubious Latin-sounding illnesses, the author Patrick Evans-Hylton presents an interesting array of popcorns in easy-to-follow descriptions and recipes in one font, and how to combine them with appliance, heat and utensils using a different font. This is a great book for people who really have the time to explore different seeds and the various oils that can be tested and used. Like the author said, just as you can become a connoisseur of wine, you can also become a connoisseur of popcorn. (I can't wait).

Orville, we hardly knew ya.

Finding lots of great recipes for a variety of tastebuds. Fun book. Looking forward to trying them all!