CB and I rarely fight but when we do, it’s about popcorn. She likes sriracha popcorn and she called my fixation on super-buttery popcorn an “abomination.” Personally, I think sriracha popcorn sounds like a culinary abortion, but whatever. The reason CB and I were fighting about popcorn this week is because we got a strange promotional email about Scarlett Johansson and her French husband Romain Dauriac. ScarJo and Romain split their time between Paris, New York and LA (presumably). Apparently, ScarJo and Romain have some kind of vanity side-project that involves… popcorn. Gourmet popcorn. Per the press release:
It was announced today that Scarlett Johansson and her husband Romain Dauriac to open their flagship gourmet popcorn shop named Yummy Pop in the heart of the Parisian district of the Marais. This will be their first foray as a family in creating and establishing Yummy Pop as a viable international business venture. The Parisian Yummy Pop store will have a soft opening on Saturday, October 22nd with its doors opening at 11:00 am. There will be a Grand Opening at a later date, to be announced soon.
“It has been a dream of mine and my family for several years to bring our favorite American snack to our favorite European City!” states Scarlett. “I am so excited to introduce Yummy Pop, a labor of love and Epicurean enthusiasm. My hope is for Yummy Pop to become a Parisian snacking staple and a symbol of friendship between my two most beloved cities, Paris and New York,” elaborates Scarlett.
The favors will change with the seasons, as fresh ingredients become available, vibrant and are in abundance. Some of the popcorn flavors will remain as staples/classics. The current (and future flavors) were created in collaboration with Chef Will Horowitz of Ducks Eater & Harry and Ida’s in New York City. The initial flavors offered are:
Sea Salt and Olive Oil
Real Vermont Cheddar – Romain’s favorite
Real Vermont Maple – Rose’s favorite
Strawberries and Cream—Romain’s little sister favorite, manager of Yummy Pop
Chocolate Covered Strawberries
Truffle Parmesan and Sage – Scarlett’s favorite
Can we all possibly agree that cheddar popcorn is the true abomination? WTF? Granted, my palate isn’t super-sophisticated (my favorite foods are “Caesar salads” and “fried chicken”) but seriously… these are the flavors? There’s no standard “butter popcorn”? WTF is chocolate-covered strawberry popcorn??? How are they not offering a kettle-corn option either? Kettle corn is the best.
Should I even say anything about how random it is that ScarJo’s vanity project is opening up a popcorn store in Paris? Random thy name is ScarJo. It sounds sort of like Scarlett is funding this to financially support some of Romain’s family. Hm…
PS… CB wanted me to include her recipe for sriracha popcorn. You take ¼ cup of kernels, place in a paper lunch bag and microwave it for one minute and thirty seconds. Then add olive oil and sriracha.
PPS… that time when Scarlett wore a nightgown to a luncheon.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I’m obsessed with popcorn and I always put my own flavorings on it. I have an air-popper so I get the REALLY good Amish popcorn.
The baby whites will change your life, I swear.
Anyway, I fully support her foray into flavored PC.
Tell me more about it. How do you do cheese flavored popcorn?
I love cheese and I love popcorn. please enlighten me!
You can put butter and parmesan on it. Or you can get Kernel Seasons:
https://www.amazon.com/Kernel-Seasons-COMPLETE-SEASONING-Variety/dp/B00OAGCKVW/ref=sr_1_1_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1476970665&sr=8-1&keywords=kernel+seasons
I like squeezing lime and salt on mine or the kettle corn Kernel Seasons if I want something sweet.
I really recommend baby white kernels. They are often referred to as “hulless” popcorn which isn’t exactly true as they do have a (small) hull.
They pop up small and SUPER-tender. They don’t have that chewy, almost-stale quality that a lot of yellow and standard white popcorn has.
I am in Italy so I am not sure how many different quality of popcorn i can find but those seasons are making me drool.
Thank you Kitten!
The best combo ever is Kernels Double Hit (It’s an extra caramel popcorn) and then mixing it with their Say Cheese Cheese flavour!!! It’s delicious!!!!!! I’m pretty sure that mix is called Chicago style
That is definitely called Chicago style and it’s my fav!
yo, look up “Golden medal popcorn”, that’s what we use in the shop ( I work at a gourmet popcorn place) and for the cheddar we melt the cheese paste, put it in the tumblr and then very slowly pour the cheese into the tumblin’ popcorn, very very slowly, so that the movement dries the cheese on top of the popcorn and the popcorn doesn’t become soggy
OMG Kitten is making me drool!
My favorite popcorn is also Amish – the mushroom version. I pop it in coconut oil on the stuff, pour over grassfed butter, fresh squeezed garlic, oregano, and Trader Joe’s Parm-Padano mix (grated). Oh, and REAL salt sea salt. It’s AMAZING.
Air popping is the best.
That is all.
Gourmet popcorn is actually a Thing, I saw some serious lines snaking down Omotesando two years ago in Tokyo queuing for popcorn from Kukuruza. I don’t understand it but then I guess it floats some people’s boat
Gourmet popcorn is weirdly big in London. Theatres (as in stage, not movie) sell teeny tiny bags of it for like £5.
I too am obsessed with popcorn. I have been known to route all trips through Chicago so I can go to Garrett’s popcorn.
I pop my own too. Equal quantities salt, icing sugar and ground cinnamon is my absolute fave.
I love popcorn! My specialty is the Amish purple popcorn, popped in a whirley pop with coconut oil. After it is popped I toss it with melted ghee*, a little salt, lots of fresh ground black pepper and Nutritional yeast flakes.
*way better than just melted butter – the popcorn doesn’t get soggy or chewy and if you have leftovers you can bag it up and it won’t get stale.
Will the French even EAT popcorn? Traditionally they have regarded corn on the cob as cow feed.
Nope, they won’t unless it’s caramel pop-corn.
My favorite – a good caramel pop-corn!
Addicted to Orville’s Caramel Popcorn.
Side Note: I’m convinced Orville Reddenbacher and that E-Harmony dude are one and the same….
Im french and there s already z pop corn shop in Paris! I hate corn on the hob but pop corn is a staple when we go to the movies but it s generally sweet .
The French don’t know how to make popcorn. They use it on tables at bars (like we use peanuts or pretzels) it’s the most bizarre thing. And it’s usually stale but as far as popcorn goes, no they don’t usually eat it. I’ll buy microwaveable popcorn if I can find it at Franprix but it’s usually one brand and it’s not so good and I think I’m the only one who buys it. Further more they don’t put salt, they put sugar.
Considering it s a little pop up store in the Marais she’s not looking for Parisians, she’s looking for tourists. Most stores in the Marais don’t last. I definitely won’t go out of my way to cross one district for some popcorn that sounds like crap.
Ok, Scarlett, good luck with that “gourmet” project. You gonna need it…
Ah, the joy to be able to waste money in the most random and ill conceived projects.
I love cheddar popcorn. To each his own I guess. They need a caramel and a butter though. I mean, come on, if Parisians are as unfamiliar with popcorn as Scarlett makes it seem, give them some buttered popcorn.
Me too! White cheddar popcorn is the best. I lived on Smartfoods’ version in boarding school!
I loved Smartfood’s white cheddar in college, I ate way too much of it!
Rocky Mountain Popcorn has the best white cheddar! A big bag lasts in our house for about 5 minutes.
White cheddar popcorn is the bomb. To each their own.
I wonder if she knows that popcorn isn’t as popular in other countries as it is in the US. Especially not in France. And then to not even include the most popular types of popcorn aka butter and kettle corn. Yea this will fail.
If you read the article here her statement Indicates she knows that , and wants to introduce the NYC snack to Paris .
I love popcorn, but I’m like Kitten. I air pop the best popcorn I can find and add whatever seasonings I’m in the mood for — so I don’t care to buy ready made. Even if it’s Scarjo popcorn.
I’m there in a couple of weeks, and we usually go out in le Marais. I’ll buy some over-priced abominationcorn and let you know.
Thank you for taking one for the team!
I appreciate your sacrifice!
I’m with you on this one Kaiser, Sriracha popcorn sounds foul.
Love cheddar popcorn…but Chicago Mix is the real king! (Mix of cheddar popcorn and caramel popcorn…no really….no really!!).
Weird choice but hey, it’s her money to waste.
Chicago mix is great! There’s a place I go to, Nuts on Clark, when I’m in Chicago and it’s amazing.
Love me some Garrett popcorn!
Garrett’s is the best stuff ever. It truly is my happy place. I have it mailed to me, but I also make sure to fly through O’Hare whenever I can so I can get it!
My sister and brother are addicted to Chicago mix. As in, when my sister flies through Chicago, she has to wait in line at that famous shop (I’m not a popcorn fan – can you tell) to order shocking amounts of popcorn for my brother, father and herself. I just like cheddar. Cheddar is the BEST! Do you hear me Kaiser! THE BEST!
A new popcorn shop just opened in my town (much more likely to do well in a college town than Paris). The popcorn flavors vary weekly. Eight flavors per week. The basics, theater butter, cheddar, white cheddar, caramel, kettle corn. Different flavors, dill pickle, siracha, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate caramel, cookies & cream, pumpkin spice cookie crumble…
Food network (popped up on my FB) has a recipe for S’mores pop corn. It looks good and hope to make it sometime.
Her husband looks like a Bond villain.
You’re right, he does! Scarlett is looking a little thin in the face. She could use 20 pounds. Have to say I bet her popcorn favorite is fantastic though.
You’re right, he does! Scarlett is looking a little thin in the face. She could use 10pounds. Have to say I bet her popcorn favorite is fantastic though.
Daughter invented curried popcorn – no, really! A little oil, curry powder, a touch of salt. Un-f’in-believable.
gagging….
Sounds good! Turmeric is an ingredient of curry powder. Look up health benefits of it. Curry powder is actually a mixture of different spices and, like many spice blends and foods in general, all sorts of variations. So try different varieties and you may find one you like.
But…wouldn’t it be a boring world if we all liked the same things 🙂
It is delicious. I ate it in India many years ago and have had it a few times since. Have your daughter try masala popcorn too!
I do the curried popcorn thing. I love it. My husband made a popcorn tikka masala last month. I think I liked it, but he has to make it again to be be sure.
I thought the French didn’t snack.
Cause you think Scarlett ever thought about what french people would like to have, like as food or even need???
Otherwise, she would have open a wine bar.
I would never buy popcorn, particularly as I only liked it buttered with salt and could easily do that at home.
Then at a friend’s wedding they had Joe & Steph’s – a gourmet popcorn in the UK. I was converted – very tasty.
Can’t remember ever seeing popcorn in France, so it will be interesting to see how this venture goes.
*Shudders Through most of the Post* ya’ll have some “Acquired” *ss Taste LOL
Free your mind, QQ! Don’t knock it till you tried it.
Come on over to Casa de Kitten for some girl scout cookie strain followed by some salt and lime PC and your life will never be the same.
mmmmm you’re laying a tempting trap for Mama!
Sign me up!
Gawd now we have pretentious popcorn..
perhaps they *should* have included buttered, but it’s supposed to be gourmet so it’s kind of fun to have unusual flavours no? I think the flavours seem fine, truffle parmesan and sage sounds great.
The real abomination, as far as I’m concerned, is caesar salad, Kaiser. 🙂
Why have that when you can have almost any kind of salad instead. But, you know, taste and all that.
So many of these little gourmet popcorn shops popping up in my area of Texas.
So many local flavors like jalapeno cheddar or pepper jack cheese. Candy corn is another flavor I shudder at.
I like kettle corn or white cheddar.
But hey, you go Scarjo.
“The favors will change with the seasons, as fresh ingredients become available, vibrant and are in abundance…”
I know “favors” should be “flavors,” right?
The entire press release sounds like it was written by Goop. “Vibrant” ingredients….give me a break.
This is never going to be popular in Paris. Parisians don’t eat as much garbage as Americans do.
Lots of tourists check out the Marais area though right? That could keep them in business
Good luck with that
It is not in our culture in France to eat popcorn
Ok, I know this will make most of you gag…but I love movie popcorn. With lots of butter. Actually, it’s not really butter, but “butter flavored topping,” as they now call it. And I put lots of salt on it! Mmmm…butter flavored topping…
The best part about going to the movies! I’m actually starting to drool, Homer Simpson-style.
Me too – the more butter and salt, the better. I might as well drive myself to the ER after a movie.
But can it beat the Zebra popcorn from Popcornopolis?? I doubt it. That sh*ts the bestest.
Saw that in the store last night and almost bought the caramel corn. Now I’ll have to try it.
My husband gets a big tin of Garretts popcorn at Christmas from his office. Caramel, cheddar and regular butter flavor. It doesn’t last long. So so good. Some different flavors sound fun, but strawberries and cream? No go scarjo.
I thought she hated France so why stake roots with a vanity project there? ScarJo better learn to say popcorn in French. I went to the translater website – it’s still “pop corn” in French. LOL
I don’t like the name (the word Yummy bothers me for some reason) but it sounds like this is just a little thing they want to try, and his sister is going to be running it. I don’t know how well it will do, but good luck to them.
Cheddar cheese and caramel flavor is the best, yum.
I’m not a popcorn fan, it smells much better than it tastes, but if I’m going to have popcorn it has to be freshly popped, swimming in butter and salt, then a bag of M&M’s dumped into it.
I do think the olive oil and sea salt would be good. With a bag of M&M’s dumped in. lol
Cheddar popcorn for some reason is everywhere these days, in the ‘health food’ aisle and the regular snacks aisle.
There’s a gourmet popcorn place in our high end mall, and I have to admit that they make the strangest flavors taste really good. I mean, put enough chocolate and caramel on there, and it’s just a vehicle for dessert, anyway.
Okay so I’m not American but I don’t understand the concept of buttered popcorn. I’ve never seen popcorn that wasn’t essentially ‘dry.’
I throw my gat firmly into the sweet ring. I hate salty popcorn.
I guess her marriage to her husband is more secure than it’s been reported? What I got from the press release is that Scarlet loves her husband, who loves his little sister, who needs a job, and instead of just giving her the money, they’ll do this as a family business. Scarlet’s star power will power the business and get the name out there, which is half the battle anyways.