The Midwestern Gentleman surprised me with a gift of three different flavors of Quinn Popcorn over the holidays. He knows I love popcorn, but I’ll confess I’m also a bit of a popcorn snob. At home, I always cook popcorn the “old-fashioned” way, in a heavy pot on the stove, and my kernels of choice come from Crown Jewel. However, I sometimes really miss the convenience of microwave popcorn, especially on days when I’m craving a crunchy, salty, healthy snack at work. Since corn is a heavily GMO product in the U.S., I have to be picky about my popcorn sources. Also, the hydrogenated oils and nasty chemical preservatives in microwave popcorn make this one crunchy, salty snack that’s strictly off-limits for me. Until now!
Olive Oil and Herbs includes a packet of extra-virgin California olive oil and a packet of organic dried herbs and nutritional yeast to sprinkle over the popcorn. The nutritional yeast added a hint of cheesy flavor that blends nicely will the fragrant herbs. Lemon and Sea Salt includes a packet of expeller-pressed sunflower oil and a packet of dried lemon zest mixed with sea salt. This was the most unexpected flavor combination for me, and I loved it instantly. The fresh zing of lemon really added something special to this snack. Finally, for a sweet-salty treat, there is Vermont Maple and Sea Salt. A packet of expeller-pressed sunflower oil is accompanied by a packet of real maple sugar (no icky artificial maple flavoring here!) and sea salt. The result is a dangerously addictive “kettle corn” with a very subtle maple flavor.
This popcorn has a mid-range price as far as snack food goes, at $2.50 per packet, about the equivalent of a muffin or pastry in a local bakery. However, I believe you pay for your health one way or another, and my personal philosophy is that I’d rather spend a little more on quality food now than a lot more on medications later. Quinn Popcorn has made it onto my short list of delicious, safe, and convenient snacks, and taught me to love microwave popcorn again.