Subscribe | UPI Odd Newsletter Subscribe NATURAL FOODS PUSH INCLUDES POPCORN Microwave popcorn has become the No. 1 snack worldwide in countries where there are microwaves but some people still yearn for what popcorn used to taste like and want to go back to preparing it the "old-fashioned" way. Among those old ways was popping corn on a stove, over a real flame or burner with a real popper -- a unit designed for the purpose. Advertisement A U.S. Department of Agriculture food expert says popcorn gets its interesting flavor from the areas that are nearly, but not quite, burned. This transformation of the popped corn is similar to the change that happens in bread when it becomes toast. It's why so many people like sandwiches on toasted buns. But most popcorn poppers never get hot enough to produce this effect without going too far and burning the product. There are many popcorn poppers in which the corn and oil are placed in a concave well at the bottom, then turned on and left alone to pop, but they are not hot enough to produce any of the carmelization or "near-burned" effect. Advertisement On the other hand, air poppers produce none of the effect and the resulting popcorn -- though popped without a trace of oil -- can often taste like Styrofoam. Believe it or not, a kind of popper that has been around for centuries has always provided great-tasting popcorn, with a minimum amount of oil needed. Merchandised under a variety of brands, the popper has a stirring device inside that is hand-cranked by a gear-and-rod assembly. Resembling a cooking pot with a lid, these units have covers that stay on with snaps until you want to open the pot. They sell like hotcakes in speciality shops, especially Amish gift shops in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Most sell for less than $30, and some include a variety of popping corns. Additionally, in southern Illinois, a company has been producing black-shelled popcorn for decades and now is merchandising a crimson red version. For more information on "crank-handle" popcorn pots and other aspects of "natural" corn popping, check out popcornpopper.com on the Internet. PERSONAL SHOPPING SITES SPRINGING UP People are tired of fighting crowds in mega-shopping malls and are concerned for their personal safety and that translates into more companies offering "personal shoppers." One of the newest is pitched to people living in the New York City area but it's similar to those in other parts of the country and is a good case study for what may become a wave of the future. Advertisement Shopping DNA started operating just in advance of the crush of the 2002 holiday buying season. It specializes in hard-to-find items and has access to Internet-based catalogues as well as its offices full of old-fashioned fliers that are mailed out each Christmastime. Fees vary, depending on the complexity of the "shopping trip" and the amount of the purchase. The minimum purchase amount is $25. The firm also says when a client sends in an order he or she is notified by e-mail when DNA has found the item or items. Even though you might assume such a service would only be used by upscale buyers, the company notes many middle income clients are taking advantage of what it does instead of fighting the long lines at the malls or personally looking through myriad, often confusing catalogues.
