**Updated 3/8/2015
Rating: ©©©©© chips (“A” list)
We have been going back and forth, and forth and back, for days now on whether or not Fire Corn was deserved of our coveted 5-chip “A” list rating. One day we’d be pretty sure that this was the best popcorn we had ever tasted, the next day we weren’t as impressed, and in the end we just could not had to change to an “A” list rating. We ended on the perfect bite! A 5-chip rating exemplifies perfection in our opinion, and no matter how close a salty snack may actually get to that marker, it will not be allotted it unless we are 100% certain that it fully deserves it…and upon further examination, and deliberation, we are sure that Fire Corn is “A” list!
Fire Corn is easily the best popcorn that we have tried this year, and in fact among the best popcorn we have ever tried period! Greg “B.A.” Anders Fire Corn (Real Jalapeno Popcorn) is a what we would like to refer to as a true artisan product. What elevates this popcorn to that amazing handcrafted level is the use of only a few simple ingredients, executed tremendously, and frankly the amazing decision to combine real jalapeno slices and popcorn!
We love this sort of thing, and thought we should share with you a little bit of Greg “B.A.” Anders Fire Corn Story:
Being a fighter pilot takes extreme focus and discipline. Hours are spent studying execution and strategy. On every flight, a pilot pushes himself and his aircraft to the very limits. One of the great traditions of fighter pilots is gathering after training flights to unwind and debrief over brews and jalapeño popcorn called Fire Corn. It’s a spicy mix of fiery popcorn and real jalapeño slices that are slow-fired to a satisfying crisp. As a Lt-Colonel retired from the Air Force, it’s a tradition I’ve enjoyed for years. And now it’s a tradition I want to share with you. We hand-craft Fire Corn in small batches that stay true to the fighter pilot original recipe: jalepeños, popcorn and a dash of salt. Just three ingredients mixed to a spicy perfection. Have it for the game, BBQs, or wherever good times await…
Is Greg for real? We’re guessing that you just can’t make this stuff up, but seriously, this sort of story is hard to believe, and seems too good to be real! Then again, this delicious popcorn tradition had to spawn from somewhere, and who better to create such a strategically delicious and daring combination than fighter pilots!
Fire Corn’s Real Jalapeno Popcorn delivers that small batch , deliciously rustic, slightly oil laden scent and flavor, with the perfect touch of salt – kind of popcorn. Smaller, light and crispy, white, butterfly style popcorn with a fresh crunch. You know what we are talking about? That classic popcorn that dad, or grandpa, used to make at the hunting shack in the cast iron pot over the wood burning fireplace! Old-school! Only, dad never used to add real slices of jalapeno to spice up the mix!!
Although the bag of popcorn did not include too many slices of the crispy jalapeno “chips”, maybe a little more than a dozen, the amount did more than its job to add a good level of heat, flavor, and textural difference to the popcorn. The jalapeno chips reminded us a lot of Deano’s Jalapenos, and we’re not sure if the slices of jalapeno are added to the oil with the popcorn, and cooked at the same time, or if they are crisped up on their own, and added afterwards (we suspect afterwards)? In our opinion it seems like the jalapeno pieces are slightly overcooked, but that is just a personal preference. The slices deliver a smoky, burnt chile flavor; masking some of the fresh and raw jalapeno flavors, but at the same time complimenting them. Also, we should probably point out that the jalapeno slices, on their own, are quite spicy! They will put a hurt on your mouth! What we really loved about the jalapeno chips were the way that many of them had broken into little pieces, or even powder like, and gradually seasoned the popcorn with just the right amount of flavor and heat. We loved those perfect blissful handfuls of just the right ratio of jalapeno and popcorn! “A” list perfect!!
Can we also just point out the packaging for one second. Although being on the smaller side, as most high quality artisan products usually seem to be, we simply like the glossy, bold, black, streamlined packaging. It is very eye catching!
In the end, Fire Corn is a truly amazing product that we are very happy to have tasted, and probably better for having done so! We suggest anyone who loves popcorn, or jalapenos, or spicy snacks, or all three of those things, go out there and find this stuff! And, we don’t want to reveal too much, but Fire Corn also has a white cheddar variation of their jalapeno popcorn, and it may just be even better than the original! We will confirm this with you later! In the meantime, why not take a look at Chip Review’s Top 5 Popcorn of All-Time and see who made the cut!
P.S. – on a side note, what do we think the “B.A.” abbreviation portion of Greg Anders name stands for…? We have a guess or two, but we’re not really sure. Should we know? Greg, are you out there, might you tell us?! Can you even tell us?
As always, these are our thoughts, we would love to hear what you think. Agree or disagree, let us know.
Popcorn provided to Chip Review by Fire Corn Popcorn for review
Fire Corn Popcorn Official Website
Chip Ratings Scale:
(1/4 increments)
© – return to sender
©© – tolerable
©©© – notable
©©©© – lip-smacking
©©©©© – “A” list
Chip Review 