Day 361 - Partially Popped Popcorn with Butterscotch and Sea Salt

We had a fun visit this morning with our friends Korin and Josh!  They were in Florida for the holidays and managed to squeeze in a bit of time to have breakfast with us.  We ended up at a restaurant sitting outside with an ocean view (well, it had an ocean view when other diners didn’t rudely park their vehicles right in front of us instead of in the dang parking lot…). 

This was the breakfast view when no cars parked in front of us (and no motorcycles were driving on A1A...)

So, after the eggs and toast, I busted out the PARTIALLY POPPED POPCORN WITH BUTTERSCOTCH AND SEA SALT!

Here is what the bag looks like

As you may know if you keep up with this blog, I am a big fan of TJ’s original Partially Popped Popcorn.  I reviewed it here and was even kinda sorta addicted to it for a little while a couple of months ago – I wanted to eat it morning, noon, and night (well mostly noon and night).  It’s terrific!  So when I saw this new flavor in the store the other day I grabbed a bag.  Korin and Josh had never tasted the original Partially Popped Popcorn, so the whole experience was new to them.  Here is how things went down:

I used a little bowl that formerly held sugar packets to display the snack.

Josh:  “I really felt like the butterscotch was initially overpowering.  It grew on me a little bit, but not much…  I wish they were a little SALTIER.  I would give them a 2.”

Korin:  “I will second that!  I really liked the texture and the crunch and the size.  The size is excellent for small, ongoing snacking.  But I would say “no” on the butterscotch flavor.  I would prefer just salt.  (Editor’s note:  Korin needs to try the regular Partially Popped Popcorn, I think she would dig it!)  I think I am going to give them a 2.5.”

Korin and Josh displaying the snacks

David:  “I have already had the Partially Popped regular salty ones, so I knew what to expect.  But I think my score is gonna be higher because I kind of enjoy the BUTTERSCOTCH CANDY experience FIRST, then afterwards I am left with the sort of CORN NUT and there is enough remaining salt to make the chewing – FABULOUS texture and crunchiness – really work for me!  So I am getting 2, 2, 2 flavors in 1!!!

  

David trying the "lick them out of your hand" technique

But still, I would rather enjoy a CARAMEL, then have a handful of SALTY NUTS…  (Sophomoric giggles all around for the concept of “a handful of nuts”.) I would give these a 3.”

Me:  I have had the original flavor before, and I prefer that flavor to this one.  To me, the first bite of this product was YUCKY.  It almost tasted like a sugar free butterscotch candy disc, which is really crappy.  The second bite got a little better…  By the third or fourth bite they were good.  I would not call them excellent, they are not my favorite snack.  I give these a 2.75.

Snacks, friends, and sunshine.  Ahhh.  Oh, and COFFEE.  It was a good morning.  

The bag says the serving size is 1/3 of a cup, and every one of the tasters agreed that was optimistic to think someone would eat THAT MANY of these.

We debated what drink to pair this with…  Josh sort of thought a Dr. Pepper, but to me that would be way too sweet.  A beer with this sounded gross.  No one could come up with an adequate wine pairing.  So we agreed on WATER.  A nice, filtered, fancy, chilled water perhaps J. 

David feels that he has boiled down the essential problem with this snack:  schizophrenia.  He thinks it is a schizophrenic snack because it has two distinct personalities that are at war with each other. 

Overall, I say skip this flavor and get the original Partially Popped Popcorn.  You won’t miss anything by not trying this one, and you will enjoy the other kind!

Other big news here:  guys – we have seen TRADER JOE’S NIRVANA!  Ok, it is just the Trader Joe’s distribution center in Daytona Beach, FL, but we went there today and it is HUUUUUUGE.  We have not managed to get IN, mind you, but did get a peek at the highly secretive, massive buildings!!  More news tomorrow (after I call them again and see if they will let us in!).  All signs point to us NOT getting invited in, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!  J

More photos of the distribution center tomorrow, but just know for now THEY ARE HIRING!
Anyone in the Daytona Beach area need a job?  :)

Price – $2.49

Rating – 2.5

Rating of eating a tasty breakfast in the sunshine with friends we hardly ever see – solid 5