Mushroom

This is the best popcorn. It’s pops up beautifully and tastes amazing. I make ALOT of caramel corn for gifts and sale in a country store. The large kernels are lovely. I am not one to eat air popped corn as I feel it tastes bland not so with this stuff. It’s tender and sweet in flavor.

▓▒░ BIG BALLS OF JOY: THE POPCORN EVOLUTION YOU NEVER KNEW YOU NEEDED ░▒▓ I used to live in blissful ignorance, believing all popcorn was created equal. Then I discovered mushroom popcorn - not fungi-flavored, but named for the perfectly spherical shape it pops into. While regular popcorn fractures into jagged snowflakes that disintegrate at first bite, these sturdy kernels transform into satisfying orbs that actually require teeth to eat rather than just dissolving on contact with your tongue. After stumbling onto this popcorn revelation alongside the utterly ridiculous-yet-amazing Chinese popcorn cannon (yes, that's a real thing - a tabletop pressure cooker that makes popcorn EXPLODE into a collection bag with all the drama of a tiny culinary fireworks display), we've been plowing through about half a pound weekly. The pleasure is so consistent we've upgraded to bulk purchasing and vacuum sealing portions like doomsday preppers planning for the popcornpocalypse. ► THE KERNEL CHRONICLES What separates these bad boys from regular kernels is simple physics. Regular popcorn creates those classic butterfly shapes - delicate, inconsistent, and prone to turning into tongue-adhering shrapnel. Mushroom varieties, meanwhile, pop into remarkably consistent spheres that transform the entire eating experience. The texture revolution happens because: • Larger kernels produce substantial popped pieces with actual heft • Spherical shape creates satisfying resistance when bitten • The structure remains crisp but with more of that consolidated, almost foam-like interior • You get more actual popcorn "meat" in each bite rather than just airy flakes The distinction is dramatic - it's like upgrading from rice cakes to actual bread. Something about the density makes it feel like legitimate food rather than just styrofoam packing material that happens to be edible. ✓ PROS • Perfect spherical shape when properly popped - ideal for heavy coatings like caramel or marshmallow • Substantial texture provides a genuinely different popcorn experience • Works beautifully with Flavorcol and butter-flavored popcorn oil • Nearly all kernels pop when using pressure methods • Princeton Popcorn Company option is significantly more expensive with no quality improvement ✗ CONS • More expensive than standard popcorn varieties • Butterfly popcorn technically holds seasonings better due to more surface area and creases • Requires proper cooking method to achieve ideal mushroom shape • Standard popping methods produce less perfect spheres ► THE EXPLOSIVE SIDEKICK: POPCORN CANNON While mushroom popcorn works with standard poppers, the real magic happens with a Chinese popcorn cannon - an absurd contraption that's equal parts cooking implement and conversation piece. You burn fuel under a metal chamber, build up pressure, then release the lid. BOOM! Popcorn explosion! The cannon forces kernels into perfect spheres while the mushroom variety provides the ideal structural foundation. The process takes about 7-10 minutes total, which feels longer than microwave popcorn but is absolutely worth the wait. Since it requires manual rotation (like a rotisserie chicken), it actually gives you something to do while you wait instead of just staring at a microwave timer. My secret recipe: 4oz (volumetric) popcorn with 45ml popcorn oil and 3/4 teaspoon Flavorcol - the perfect ratio for maximum sphere formation. Regular poppers work fine, but the difference is noticeable. It's truly a two-factor situation - these special kernels enhance the cannon's results, and the cannon maximizes the kernels' potential. Plus, the entertainment value cannot be overstated. Nothing says "I take my snacking seriously" like a controlled explosion in your kitchen. ► FIELD NOTES FROM A POPCORN ENTHUSIAST We were surprised to discover popcorn has about 5g of protein per 150 calories - not protein-packed by any means, but more substantial than you'd expect from such a light snack. It's become our regular post-dinner munchie - guilt-free when prepared with heart-healthy oils instead of artery-assassin options like coconut oil. For added flavor, we use Flavorcol (flavored salt) and butter-flavored popcorn oil. The combination with these spherical wonders creates something that makes movie theater popcorn seem like a sad, stale imposter. When using the cannon, we pop most all the kernels, leaving only a few unpopped orphans behind - a markedly better yield than with standard air poppers or microwave options. ☞ PERFECT FOR: • Popcorn enthusiasts seeking a texture upgrade from the standard butterfly varieties • Anyone making caramel corn or popcorn balls (the spheres hold heavy coatings beautifully) • Families looking for both snack and entertainment (the cannon process is half culinary, half fireworks display) • Snackers who want something with actual substance rather than air with occasional corn particles ☜ NOT IDEAL FOR: • Budget shoppers (premium price over standard varieties) • People without proper popping equipment to maximize spherical formation • Those seeking maximum surface area for seasoning distribution • Individuals who enjoy finding popcorn bits in their teeth three days later ► THE VERDICT Mushroom popcorn is what regular popcorn wishes it could be when it grows up - substantive, satisfying, and architecturally superior. The sturdy spheres transform the entire snacking experience from a fleeting, tongue-dissolving moment to something you can actually sink your teeth into. While the premium price means it's not for everyone, anyone who takes their popcorn experience seriously should give these kernels a shot. And if you're feeling adventurous, pair them with a popcorn cannon for the full explosive experience. It's the difference between economy and business class in the snack world - not essential, but once you've tried it, economy feels like a significant downgrade.

I love this popcorn. I bought one of those fancy cart popcorn makers and we go through tons of popcorn so I was glad when I could get this in the 6 lb bag. It's enough to keep us in quite a few movie nights but still be fresh. It pops well, is big and fluffy, and holds on to the butter and salt (also from Amish Country!) really well. I will never get another brand.

TLDR use a stainless steel pot My first pop I used used a ceramic wok pot like I always do and it came out butterfly which I found strange. I figured maybe I put too many kernels and I need to cook them at a higher temperature. My 2nd time I used less kernals and cooked at a higher temp yet the same result. Finally, I try to use a stainless steel pot and to my surprise basically all of them poped beautifully into the mushroom shape that it was destined to be. I can't believe it was as simple as using a different pot. Also I used coconut oil for every pop I did. Nonetheless, they pop big and taste great in both butterfly shape and mushroom shape.

Trust me. Buy it. The quality, taste, size texture and color are wonderful. My first use was in a brown paper bag placed in the microwave. All but one or two kernels popped up big fluffy and aromatic. This popcorn did not disappoint!

Maybe 50% of my popcorn was mushroom shaped. The flavor was good plain, pure if you will but I had kernels that didn’t pop. Once I added real butter add salt it was delicious. Main reason for buying this was for the mushroom shape and I was very disappointed. I won’t buy again.

The product is very, very good. Big puffy popcorn. Tastes great, especially with some white cheddar seasoning. The only suggestion I would make is to not ship the bags in a paper envelope. The bag got torn on the outside and whatever tore it also punctured a small hole in the bag. Luckily very little spilled out, but it would have been more protected in a box.

First of all people are wound too tight when it comes to popcorn. Most mushroom popcorn is mixed with traditional yellow butterfly popcorn. The question is what is the ratio? I think the ratio is pleasingly high with this brand but I wish the seller would advertise the ratio or brag that they are 100% mushroom if the the case. Still the angry reviewer claiming this brand is 90% Mushroom popcorn pretty much put Amish Country at the top of the industry with that ratio. Also there is more than one way to pop popcorn and the reviewer with the strict instructions needs to take a proverbial chill pill. His instructions aren't consistent with my Whirly Popper with his "TWO kernel, got that TWO kernels" to test the oil. His instructions to crank the heat all the way doesn't take into consideration some people have ranges with 20K BTU output. You don't want to melt the aluminum pan or burn your oil. Mushroom popcorn does need a higher oil temperature than most varieties- 400 degrees. If you don't get to 400 degrees you will not get the dome shape but will instead get a butterfly shape. So you do need an oil with a high smoke point but it is absurd to restrict yourself to avocado oil when so many other oils that you might actually have in your pantry will work just fine peanut, safflower, coconut, soy sunflower etc. I do agree with him that many people complaining and showing such sad bowls of popcorn had poor technique. Once I tried to pop popcorn using the instructions from Bon Appetit by Carla Lalli Music (great name) which including the dubious idea to use an enameled Dutch oven and I ended up with a pathetic bowl of half popped kernels that looked a lot like the photo from the guy with the one star review. I wonder if he read Music's piece and gave it a go with his mushroom popcorn. My enameled French dutch oven pan is good for many thing but making popcorn is not one of them. Anyway, I think this is excellent popcorn and I find I get very few un -popped kernels with it. I think the ratio of mushroom to traditional yellow popcorn is pleasingly high. I got mostly domes and the few odd ones were just as tender and delicious. Also the price point of this product compared to most of the others is very good. As I went through the many other mushroom popcorn products on Amazon on each of the review sections there would be at least one reviewer claiming that the product wasn't mushroom popcorn. I would recommend taking those reviews with a very small grain of popcorn salt- the kind so small you can't even see them, because that is all they are worth. I have tried 3 different mushroom products sold on Amazon and all 3 were very delicious and everything you would want in a bowl of mushroom popcorn including this one, and this one was the most competitively priced. So I am sticking with this brand. :))

Big fluffy popcorn.

lovely popcorn - make sure you pop this at high heat at the start, to see the large size that it can pop at. Delicious flavour.

Worth the price gap from cheap brands

The best popcorn we have ever bought before I would recommend it to everyone has nice big popcorn when it’s popped very delicious tasting I am going to try the extra large popcorn next to find out what it’s like when I make caramel corn

Excellent product! Fantastic taste. Resulting pop exactly as described. Will be buying again!