A New Take on Microwave Popcorn

I brought popcorn to work with me today (I know, thrilling, right?) Our office microwave is abysmal, with no rotating plate and temperature control that I believe conspires to both scorch and freeze my food simultaneously. It's pretty amazing when the edges are burned and the inside remains unthawed.

I shouldn't have been surprised when my bag of popcorn (suggested time = less than 3 minutes) wasn't popped after 5. Unfortunately, I ripped open the bag it comes in to count my kernel-to-popped ratio. It was unimpressive. Like any good Googler, I went online and found this gem from the NYT archives. I grabbed the Pret bag in my desk drawer, dumped the un-popped kernels inside, folded the top over twice, and put the whole thing into the microwave in the other office kitchen. Viola! My snack was saved!

The whole ordeal also showed me that popcorn can be cooked easily in any paper bag, which can be pretty helpful. To cut down portion size, split the kernels inside a microwave-ready bag in half and save some for later. To cut down on all the butter and chemicals, buy the jars of kernels at the grocery store and use paper sacks. (This is also less expensive!) I realize these are unexciting tips, but it's an unexciting Thursday, so that's how it goes sometimes...