[HPFGU-OTChatter] Catch-up on Cola, the glories of popcorn, t he wonder of Charles Chips

[Tandy, Heidi]

When I was little, on Saturdays, mom would sleep in.  I'd get up, sneak out
to the kitchen, and find leftover popcorn (old-style: oil and kernels in a
pot popped until the lid moves off) and half-filled pop (RC) in glasses on
the drainboard (another of those pop-cola-soda questions?  Why do some call
it drainboard, others countertop?), and I'd reach out my arm and drink the
warm, flat stuff and eat the popcorn!

What do you mean "old-style" popcorn?
I still make it that way, although with some newfangled changes - I only use
olive oil, and I only use fine-granuled sea salt. Talk about a gourmet
experince. Williams-Sonoma sells a wonderful stove-top popcorn popper, but
honestly,  a solid pot from Lechters or Bed Bath & Beyond works as well as
anything else!
I admit, I make air-popped popcorn at the office, but other than a few
interludes back in 6th grade, I have never ever made microwave popcorn. I
think the stuff is vile, cardboardy, and incorporates a pathetic version of
oil - not worth the calories or time. 
 
> When I got to high school, I discovered that Dr. Pepper tastes just like
it
> but has bubbles (yes, I am saying Dr. Pepper tastes like day old cola!  I
do
> like Dr. P though on occasion).
 
Regarding Dr Pepper - if you mix diet coke and amaretto (no ice! it ruins
it!) it tastes almost exactly the same as Dr Pepper, although obviously you
can get drunk, instead of merely punchy, on it. 
 
And Diet Coke mixed with Amaretto and stove popped popcorn make a wonderful
accompaniment to your regular blockbuster rental!
 
Now, my contribution to childhood food - does anyone remember Charles Chips,
which came in those huge cans? I've finally found someone locally who
delivers them - we are *so* happy to have them again, and Harry *loves* the
cans!