Hello Everyone,
I've decided to start a series of post about UK, inspired by 1000 Things About Japan blog. Those that know me personally also know that I make no secret of my general dislike of the UK. I didn't want to come here in the first place, I suspected I probably won't like it here, and sure enough, I don't. Yet I've realized that there are things here that I like and will miss, as well as those that I don't like and will not miss.
All these are in no particular order, they are very subjective and based on what makes ME happy or not happy. While I don't mind any of my readers sharing their opinions, I really don't want to get into online argument over how great UK is or is not. I get enough of that from other Americans who live here, who love it here, and who have been extending or coming back numerous times.
Now that the disclaimer is out of the way, the first things I will miss is sweet popcorn in UK's movie theaters.
Seriously, it took me over 2.5 years to realize that UK's movie theaters were serving SWEET popcorn in addition to salted one. I've just assumed that all they had available was salted, like in the USA, and because I got so used to NOT order popcorn in the USA, I've never thought of asking. I actually hate salted popcorn with a passion, I hate it even more when it drenched in "butter" or whatever it is US movie theaters pour over it so it was such a pleasant surprise when I found out that I can get it sweet here. I love sweet popcorn, which is leftover preference from Ukraine, but I can never get anything like that in the USA. The closest I can get is caramel corn or kettle corn, but even those don't work for me.
I now order popcorn every time I go to the movies here to make up for those lost 2.5 years and I will miss that when we're back in the USA.
~ Lyuba
Hmm I've never heard of that, any idea what it is sweetened with?
ReplyDeleteProbably sugar that got caramelized a little in the heat. There is also an actual caramel corn at the London IMAX, or it could just be a lot more of caramelized sugar, but I don't remember well because I've only been there once.
DeleteHmm, I have tried a type of sweet popcorn that is not Caramel corn, and that is Kettle Corn. Where i live you can buy it at festivals, carnivals, and other such places. Its not Carmel Corn Really... but a sweet and slightly salty popcorn. I found a recipe and if you cut out the salt maybe its sort of what you're looking for.
ReplyDeletecheck this out and maybe try it yourself:
http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalfoodsrecipes/r/Kettle_Corn.htm
You need to stock up on microwaveable sweet popcorn then! It is not as sweet as the cinema stuff but it is not bad. I use to eat bags of it when I was in University.
ReplyDeleteYep! The sweet popcorn here in the States is called Kettle Corn. It's a light mix of sugar and a tiny bit of salt (to bring out the sweetness more), and a tiny bit of butter to get everything to caramelise right when it cooks. Too bad the theatres don't carry it here! Just grocery stores and faires.
ReplyDeleteI've actually tried Kettle Corn back when I first came to the USA, and I hate it even more than salted popcorn. Sweet and salty taste just doesn't agree with me. I either want it sweet, or salted, but not mixed.
DeleteNeat, I've also never heard of it! I'm am imagining it tasting something like sweeter kettle corn without the salt. I look forward to the rest of this blog series!
ReplyDeleteOh, that's interesting!
ReplyDeleteI've been following the 1000 Things About Japan blog, and it's always interesting read.
And about the popcorn - as far as I know german movie theatres only sell sweet popcorn (at least I've never seen salty popcorn at the one in my city).
I think salted popcorn is very much an American thing. They sure do love everything salted or flavored over there. Plain? What's that?
DeleteYep, its true! American movie theater popcorn is excessively greasy and salty, I usually get violently ill after eating popcorn at the movies.
DeleteIt is so neat how different popcorn is around the world. Didn't think I'd be this excited about a conversation about popcorn!
I never buy popcorn at US movie theaters because of that.
DeleteWhen we lived in Ukraine, we would make popcorn and home and lightly dust it with confectionery sugar, which is how I got used to the sweet popcorn. Now, when I make it at home, I just have it absolutely plain since I like plain popcorn too.