Retro Riddles: Can You Guess These Outdated Gizmos?

9. The Sweet Sweet Sound of Popcorn

Given your age beyond thirty, your mother most likely bought Jiffy Pop. If money was limited, she might have purchased TV Time! Either way, the scent of the popcorn was also really wonderful and there was nothing like listening to the lovely sweet sound of popping popcorn emanating from the burner. Usually saved for movie evenings or sleepovers, this popcorn was always well worth the wait. Though apparently you can still buy popcorn, it isn't produced like this anymore! Though nowadays it's most likely regarded as a historic item and the classic form of popcorn.

The Jiffy Pop experience was exactly the mix of fun and snack cooking. Seeing the foil swell into a dome as the kernels exploded was almost magical, transforming an everyday cooking activity into a performance. Children involved in this interactive food preparation process had a sense of enthusiasm and expectation that microwave popcorn just cannot equal. They were in the kitchen. The technique also taught patience since hurrying may produce burned popcorn or an unexpanded foil top. The home smelled Jiffy Pop, a multi-sensory sensation that grew strongly connected with family movie evenings and special events. Although the age of quick gratification seems charming, the process of making Jiffy Pop marks a time when the journey was as vital as the result. Even as a novelty item, its ongoing appeal reflects our yearning for simpler times and hands-on experiences in a world going more digital.