"Pop" goes the kernel

Our family likes popcorn. I mean REALLY likes popcorn. 

Microwave popcorn that doesn't have partially hydrogenated oil in it can be a bit challenging to find, and in any case, microwave popcorn tends to just not taste quite right - there are doubts about what exactly is in that bag and it always seems to have too much of everything, even the lite stuff. But it will do in a pinch.

Our favorite popcorn is from a hot air popper that Mrs Notthat had before we got married 25 years ago. It was old. About 15 years ago its over-temp sensor failed and caused the thing to shut itself down well before it was done. So I replaced the sensor with a piece of wire. About a year ago, the power plug disintegrated, so I spliced in a power plug from some other defunct appliance, and it kept on going. 

A week ago The Boy came to me with tears in his eyes. I knew it had to be serious - either Ford had decided to quit making Mustangs or the popcorn popper had died. While Ford and the rest of the auto industry are indeed in a lot of trouble, it was the popper that had in fact finally died in a way that I was not able to fix with black electrical tape and baling wire.

I ordered a new one (a Presto) and it arrived on Saturday. And it is great. It's much quieter than the old one, tosses out many fewer unpopped kernels, and seems to be a bit faster.

The thing about hot air poppers is that you can make plain popcorn and add your own seasonings to it. The Boy and I are addicted to a bit of butter, garlic salt, and cayenne pepper. Mrs Notthat does something with chili powder. If I'm going to be typing on the computer or am feeling guilty about my snack intake, I can leave it plain. And a nifty thing is that, unlike microwave popcorn, you can't burn it. It is always perfect, even with generic popcorn.

So The Boy is happy, the popcorn growers of Nebraska are happy, and the countertop looks a lot better without that old, crippled thing sitting on it. 

We'll see how long I have to wait before I have to break out my fix-it kit.

That's it - move along...