We all recognize them. As soon as you see one of those giant tins in your office, or at someone’s home, you know immediately that it’s going to be filled with flavored popcorn. There’s nothing wrong with the concept of flavored popcorn, but the stuff in these tins usually isn’t particularly fresh. The ingredients used are of industrial quality, and most of this popcorn ends up tasting the same. It isn’t very good, but you eat it because there’s lots of it and it’s something to munch on. Maybe that’s why 479º Popcorn comes as such a surprise. This is flavored popcorn for the thinking individual, for those who possess (and like to use) taste buds.
Not your usual flavored popcorn.
What makes it so different? To begin with, the products are certified organic. The popcorn hasn’t been sitting around for weeks; you can taste that immediately. And the flavors aren’t like those you might be used to. Sure, there’s a caramel corn, but which one do you want? You’ll have to select from Fleur de Sel Caramel, Ginger Sesame Caramel, or Chipotle Caramel + Almonds (I haven’t tasted the latter two, but the Fleur de Sel Caramel is darned tasty). Not in the mood for caramel? How about a Black Truffle + Aged White Cheddar or Alderwood Smoked Sea Salt?
The business was born out of Jean Arnold‘s fond childhood memories of cozy evenings spent playing cards and devouring fresh popcorn with her family. “My mom refused to serve anything other than organic popcorn cooked in a sturdy stovetop popper that she’d hand crank until the kernels turned into a delightful fluffy treat. Then, as now, a bowl of popcorn could turn an ordinary moment into a special occasion.”
Over the years, she experimented with making her own organic popcorn and flavoring it with exotic seasonings inspired by an international upbringing and training at Le Cordon Bleu in London. She discovered that 479 degrees Fahrenheit is the optimal temperature for popping corn. “I knew immediately that this would be the name of my popcorn company, because it reflects the careful attention to detail that I work so hard to incorporate into every single element of the business, from the pristine ingredients to the beautiful packaging to the avid dedication to customer satisfaction.”
All 479º popcorn is made by hand in the San Francisco kitchen founder Jean Arnold started with her husband.
The flavored popcorns are available in boxes that feed 2 to 4 people, or canisters serving 4 to 8, and all are in Samplers or Collections. By way of example, The Globetrotter Sampler contains five boxes, one apiece of Chipotle Caramel + Almonds, Ginger Sesame Caramel, Pimenton de La Vera, Black Truffle + Aged White Cheddar, and Madras Coconut Curry + Cashew. The Comfort Collection, on the other hand, consists of one canister each of Fleur de Sel Caramel, Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar, and Pimenton de La Vera. If you’re looking for something a bit different to bring to your next gathering, I’d say 479º Popcorn has you covered.
The Globetrotter sampler: Chipotle Caramel + Almonds, Ginger Sesame Caramel, Pimentón de La Vera, Black Truffle + Aged White Cheddar & Madras Coconut Curry + Cashew.
The Comfort Collection: Fleur de Sel Caramel, Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar & Pimentón de La Vera.
Aside from the Fleur de Sel Caramel, I like the Vietnamese Cinnamon Sugar and Pimenton de La Vera (that Black Truffle + Aged White Cheddar has me intrigued, too, but I haven’t tried it yet). Now, if you’re a do-it-yourselfer, 479º Popcorn has been thinking along the same lines with their PIY (Pop It Yourself) Kit. This includes two pounds of organic, heirloom popcorn in several varieties and colors; specialty sunflower oil; four salt and sugar blends to flavor your popped corn; glossy paper cones; and instructions.
The P.I.Y. (Pop It Yourself) Kit contains everything you need to make your own flavored popcorn.
Sounds like a party waiting to happen, doesn’t it? Find a store near you or order online.
