There’s popcorn in Chicago and then there is popcorn. There is something special about the popcorn in the Windy City. After a disappointing meal at Chicago Midway Airport, I was looking for something else to carry me through until supper time. Since I love popcorn like it’s going out of style…I thought it might be a good snack before boarding the plane.
Chicago O’Hare has a couple of Garrett Gourmet Popcorn in their terminals. Not so much at Midway. What they do have is a little popcorn and nuts place called Nuts On Clark.
Well…it was better than nothing.
Since no one should have to choose between caramel and cheese popcorn, I got the standard mix of both…something Chicago is known for according to Garrett shops. Just a small bag would do. And along with it, since it was on sale, I snagged a bag of dark chocolate covered cashews. Because a little salty and sweet never hurt anyone. In fact…it only makes life better!
With popcorn and dark chocolate cashews in hand, I hurried down to my gate and settled in for a little snack. I started with the chocolate because I’m female and chocolate helps to calm the inner beast. Since I was still fuming over my lackluster lunch, I figured a little chocolate might do me some good.
I popped a cashew into my mouth…and all I got was chocolate. I thought I had the weird anomaly of the bag. Just a hunk of dark chocolate. So, I grabbed a bigger one, which was shaped like a cashew and tried again. Same reaction. There was no salty with sweet. There was just sweet. Now, I love dark chocolate more than anything else in the world…but I wanted to taste the cashew too. And with ever one I tried…I just wasn’t getting the hit of salty nut flavor that I was craving. Disappointed, I folded up the remaining in the bag, tucked it away into my carry-on and turned my attention to the bag of popcorn.
This was my first time sampling the Chicago blend of caramel and cheese popcorn mixed together. So, I was intrigued to give it a try. The popcorn was…okay. The caramel really stood out as opposed to the rather blah cheese flavor. But…I’ve had Garrett Gourmet Popcorn prior to this and this didn’t equal up to the delicious bite and flavor they offer. Garrett popcorn is bursting with caramel flavor. It mixes in nuts of your choice if you want, or you can have it plain. It keeps fresh in the bags long after you open it. Nuts On Clark tries. And I guess if you really need some popcorn, they are the place to hit up. But, a word of warning to those who do venture that way. Unlike Garrett popcorn…if you start eating this stuff, finish it. It doesn’t keep well. I brought it to the U2 General Admission line the following morning and ate it as a mid-day snack…to find it stale and the cheese quite rancid. I wasn’t a fan.
If you really want to get gourmet popcorn, go to Garrett if possible while in Chicago. Skip Nuts On Clark. Just…trust me on this. Neither of their products I purchased blew me away. Disappointing for the high airport snack price I paid for them. If you need a crunchy popcorn hit…find a shop at Midway and buy the pre-packaged stuff. I’d skip this and hold out for Garrett’s next time I find myself in Chicago.
The Celiathlete 