Little Difference #21 - Movie Popcorn I took the girls to see The Fantastic Mr. Fox (disappointing, no?) on Sunday. It was there in the concession area of the theater that I was reminded of yet another little difference, this time I'm talking about movie popcorn. Folks, it's SWEET.
The first movie popcorn I had here was on our preview trip, I noticed it was sweet but assumed I had just grabbed the wrong bag or something. After a few more movies, I confirmed that yes, in fact the popcorn served here is sweet. It is called Pop Corn Sucré (in French) and tastes similar to Kettle Corn. It's actually quite good once you get over the shock of it not being salty. To be fair salted popcorn is also offered, but in a section about 1/5 the size of where the Pop Corn Sucré is housed. Clearly, Pop Corn Sucré is the norm.
The way the popcorn is sold is also different than at home. There is no cute teenage boy working behind the counter, scooping up your popcorn from the popper and putting into a bag. No inquires about wanting butter on it or a soda to go with it. Here, the popcorn is all pre-bagged and set on a shelf. You just take the size you want off the shelf and pay for it.
I was describing American movie popcorn to some English friends after the movie. They listened in shock about the pumps of "butter" that are offered on top of our popcorn. They described English popcorn as coming in a bag and being covered with something similar to caramel. Who knew there was such diversity in movie popcorn? Which leads me to ask-
The first movie popcorn I had here was on our preview trip, I noticed it was sweet but assumed I had just grabbed the wrong bag or something. After a few more movies, I confirmed that yes, in fact the popcorn served here is sweet. It is called Pop Corn Sucré (in French) and tastes similar to Kettle Corn. It's actually quite good once you get over the shock of it not being salty. To be fair salted popcorn is also offered, but in a section about 1/5 the size of where the Pop Corn Sucré is housed. Clearly, Pop Corn Sucré is the norm.
The way the popcorn is sold is also different than at home. There is no cute teenage boy working behind the counter, scooping up your popcorn from the popper and putting into a bag. No inquires about wanting butter on it or a soda to go with it. Here, the popcorn is all pre-bagged and set on a shelf. You just take the size you want off the shelf and pay for it.
I was describing American movie popcorn to some English friends after the movie. They listened in shock about the pumps of "butter" that are offered on top of our popcorn. They described English popcorn as coming in a bag and being covered with something similar to caramel. Who knew there was such diversity in movie popcorn? Which leads me to ask-
12 comments:
we hae been in Australia for 11 years now (no longer expats but permanent residents with 2 kids born here)- i think i spent the first 4years commenting every tuime we went to the movies - look at all the choc tops!! i would constantly look around to track whether popcorn would ever be #1 but no it was not - the most popular treat here at the movies is an icecream cone (usually vanilla) dipped in choclate. it comes in a baggie all sealed up and ready to go (a rare place dips it fresh in front of you). summer or winter does not matter - you will see whole groups walk in their row of seats and 4 out of 5 wll have a choc top!, then there are additions of chocolate bars, popcorn, sodas and slushees (most have many flavours on offer and seems to be the #1 time people induldge in slushees)
i still stick to popcorn and cannot watch a movie without - like pavlov's dog i think!
Ours is scantly salted and handed over in boxes by a speckled teenager. No offer of butter (that could only help!!!) or offer of caramel - clearly I am living in the wrong place!!!
Saw you crowing the other day - those pretzels look fabulous!!!
What I really want to know is, do you have to pay an arm and a leg to see a movie over there, too? I took DS to see Percy Jackson (also disappointing) and after I bought tickets and ONE SMALL popcorn (no extra butter, thank you) I'd spent $18. And that was for a matinee, and I snuck in a SIGG full of water and Junor Mints from the gas station. I can only imagine how much it would have cost for the two of us if I'd bought the beverage and candy there.
Hi! I just found you from The Crafty Crow, I think I will become a frecuent visitor... anyway, just to share, I live in Argentina where popcorn at the movies is sweet, you don´t have the salty option, and I was in shock when I went to the States and found that you couldn´t get it sweet (this was years ago, maybe now you can)
They also serve nachos with cheese, hotdogs, pizza, and in some of them also "chipa", which is a cheese bread, not originally from Argentina but very popular lately.
And we also have a cinema that is a restaurant also and you can eat and be served there, but I cannot comment cause I haven´t been there.
Thanks!
Patricia
I grew up eating these popcorn http://www.goldilocks.com.ph/products/bakeshop/popcorn in the Philippines and now as an adult living in Washington I make sure to watch movies in Federal Way where they serve kettle corn.
It never even entered my mind that there would be differences in popcorn...yet another reason I love these little difference posts of yours. I'll have to visit an Italian movie theatre soon and let you know what the Italians do. I wonder if they even have popcorn...
That popcorn sounds like I would love it! There's lots of candy and buttery popcorn sold at the movie theater, but I always bring a bag of trailmix or fresh stove popped popcorn to the movies (sneeky!)
Movie popcorn is heavily buttered (butter-flavored popping oil) and salted for you in Kentucky, served in small bags or large buckets, scooped "fresh" out of the popper where it is kept hot.
When I went to Japan, they served plain popcorn and soy sauce flavored popcorn. We, of course, had to try the soy sauce flavor - it was delicious!
ahh we called them choc bombs in perth. and probably the reason to see a film for me, growing up. that was in oz. here in uk i must admit to secreting a bag of salted popcorn on my person when taking the boys to film. but i can't believe the pic and mix sweet/lolly selection at cinemas here...
oh and fave all-time cinema treat used to be the deck chairs at outdoor venue at uni in perth. then it was cold white wine, good cheese and extras. and ALWAYS warm summer evenings. i am so homesick!
movie popcorn is my favorite food, and I would be quite disappointed and i went to the movies and could not have it salty and drizzled in butter! Don't forget, we have many theaters in the states where you can apply your own butter. :)
Deb - Thanks for the info on Australia. A choc top sounds pretty tasty although a slushee sounds even better to me!
se7en - sounds too boring/healthy for movie treat - where is the sugar and/or fat :)
mama llama- movie prices are the same here. it is 8,50 euros for an adult ticket. that is about $11.50.
Maluhia - YUM!! Looks delicious!
Patricia - another country with sweet popcorn - thanks for the info about Argentina! A chipa sounds good, are they?
Jules - you know I think of you each time I see a movie here. You would not be satisfied!
Dim Sum - you must report back! can you get a glass of Chianti in the theater, I wonder? If so, I'm moving :)
Jessica - ah, sneaky snacks at the movies are always especially tasty :)
Amy - thanks for the info about Kentucky and Japan. The soy sauce flavored popcorn sounds intriguing.
poppyart - outdoor theaters are wonderful. we showed a movie on the side of our house once. It was quite fun!
You didn't like Fantastic Mr Fox? I want to go . . . tell us more.
I saw Avatar finally . . . it was okay. I liked it, but I liked Hurt Locker better and was glad it won what it did.
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