That’s my understanding about quality of pop, too. The fresher the kernels, the bigger the pop, plus plenty of ventilation is needed. If it gets too moist inside the popping container, the kernels won’t expand as well. I use a stovetop saucepan, and only put on the lid once 2 kernels have popped, and then just until the popped kernels cover the bottom so there’s not so much splatter. Then I lift the lid and hold it just above the pan. I really need to get a whirly pop.
Pop on the stovetop, spritz with olive oil and top with Nutritional Yeast.
Yes, I’m working the low sodium diet thing.
Actually, the yeast is really tasty on popcorn (and baked potatoes and eggs) gives you a really rich flavor without being miserably for my health.
Should ask for a Whirly Pop for Xmas
I’ll third the suggestion for nutritional yeast.
I always make popcorn on the stove, and I never coat it with butter. Toppings I do use:
- Just salt
- Salt and pepper
- Salt and sugar
- Furikake
- Malted milk powder
- Grated pecorino romano
I really like the Tabasco and vinegar ideas.
Salt, butter, and Worcestershire sauce.
Salt and butter.
Or grated parmesan and/or romano cheese.
How do the kernels pop without any heat?
Me? I’ve got a microwave cooker that works great on regular old popcorn. When I remove it, the heating element is hot enough that it’ll melt a tablespoon of butter. I always add butter and salt. Sometimes I’ll throw on some parmesan cheese for kicks.
Butter is first and foremost. Imperial margarine or possibly olive oil if I’m out of butter, but it’s just not the same.
For flavor, I really enjoy seasoning salt or a cumin/chili powder combo. Nothing beats just plain old salt though!
I like Tabasco on my popcorn, but I like so much of it, it tends to make the popcorn soggy. So now I make Tabasco powder for it. I went out to Sam’s and bought an industrial sized bottle of Tabasco and poured a enough of it on a cookie sheet to coat it. Stuck it in the oven at 225 for an hour until the moisture evaporated. Then I scraped it off with a metal spatula. What you have left is a super fine, super concentrated Tabasco powder. I make enough of it to keep in an old salt shaker.
Or the oil you use. I was surprised someone upthread said they pop in olive oil. I can’t seem to get olive oil hot enough. I use canola oil to pop.
After popping, I make a 50/50 mixture of butter/olive oil. Then sprinkle with salt.
Olive oil and Penzey’s Brady Street Cheese Sprinkle
Other popcorn?
Since I’m the author of this thread, I’d like to invite a few hijacks explaining the ins and outs of the whirly-pop. I’m thinkin’ I need me one of them. [Gadget lust.]
I get that you put oil and popcorn (or “popcorn maize” as Nigella Lawson called it this evening) in it and put it on the stove burner. Does it do okay on an electric stove? You turn the handle the whole time it’s popping? Do you shake the pot with the other hand so the kernels don’t burn? How long is that- about 2-3 minutes? *[If I can’t rub my stomach and pat my head at the same time, will I flunk whirly-pop?] *
Get it. Seriously. You won’t regret it. Best $20 or so a popcorn lover can spend.
You turn the crank once the kernals start popping. The whole thing takes about 3 minutes, but I’d say the crank-turning only lasts 1 - 2 minutes – once that first kernal goes, the rest follow very quickly. And there’s no need to shake the pan to distribute the kernals; that’s what the crank is for!
If you get the Whirley Pop from popcornpopper.com, splurge and buy a packet of their Real Movie Theater combo packs. It’s a bag filled with pre-measured oil, corn and buttery salt. It’s freakin’ divine. Very movie-theater-esque. Of course it’s not great for you, but for a once-in-a-while spree? Totally worth it.
We’re straying here, but even though that pop-gadget could be had for less than thirty bucks, I still think it’s too much of a uni-tasker when most folks could produce identical or better results with a similarly sized poly-tasking saucepan which they already own, and if they don’t already own one, they could buy a good one for about the same price as that super-curly-wurly pop-gadget. It’s not that very complicated to heat and vent popcorn, is it?
Also, SeaDragonTattoo made me think about adding spice at the start of popping just to see what would happen. I wonder if possibly burning the pepper and herb would make the flavor better or worse. I’m thinking: better.
You are so right. But gadget lust doesn’t respond to logic. 
Peanut butter. Melt it up with some butter for a more fluid consistency and pour it on. YUM. A lot of these other recipes sound pretty tasty as well!
Wow! Tabasco powder. I like you’re thinking…
Butter, garlic powder, cayenne and black pepper. I’m not supposed to have salt, but I cheat sometimes.
Popcorn is a tasteless vehicle for butter and salt. It is cardboard without butter and salt and it holds it perfectly. The question is a lot of butter or a whole lot more butter?
Butter (real butter). Salt. That’s about it. Now, I’m off to pop some…
(I like to eat cheddar cheese when I’m eating pop corn, but I don’t put the cheese on the pop corn so that probably doesn’t count)
-XT