Big Bear's the Pop'rs Pilot in Charge!

Thanks so much to all of you who have commented so far with suggestions for Big Bear and Little Red's Rehearsal Dinner. Aunt Julie, The Pop'r Queen, really appreciates the help! Remember, every comment this week earns you one additional entry in the Great Pop'rs Giveaway--for info on the Giveaway and ways to earn extra entries, click here.

Which brings me to our little tidbit for today. All of you winners out there are probably wondering how we concoct the delightful, fun and nutritious seasonings known as Pop'rs. Well, I'm here to testify!

The photo above shows Big Bear (on the right) with Pop'rs Operations Guru Jim, manning a contraption known as The Pilot. Attractive hairnets, fellas! See the steam coming off The Pilot? That's part of how Pop'rs begin life up at Uncle Lynn's plant.

Aunt Julie explains how all this works: "The Pilot machine makes a seven- to ten-pound batch and is used for experimentation. The first time we made sugar-free popping candy, we did it on The Pilot. It is used when we don’t want to experiment on a big batch of 20 to 30 pounds, because of the cost of ingredients. All of our products are started on The Pilot."

Because of the experimental nature involved in using The Pilot, Julie says, "We made once made Jalapeño Pops, a candy with jalapeño flavor, instead of, say, cherry. Not good! We also tried and flopped with a bacon-flavored Pop'rs." You see, Faithful Readers, it's a good thing that The Pop'r Family experiments with The Pilot before the product reaches the customer!

"Another little aside in the process," Aunt Julie continues, "is that we fill tubes, they cool, and are 'dropped' into a barrel, under pressure. The Pop'rs break into bits ranging from dust to golf ball-sized pieces. The bigger ones are a hoot to eat. It took guts the first time we tried this procedure; it will almost lift you off the ground!"

Auntie J. explains that since they are carbonated crystals, Pop'rs are made under a lot of pressure, which is the fun part of using them to season your veggies. "But we can't sell the big rock pieces," Julie says, "because they are so sensitive to the touch. I had some packed in a plastic jar with a screw top, and it got bumped. It blew up the jar, but the top was still screwed on!" By the time the product reaches the customer, though, it's reduced to tiny little pieces, so no worries there!

BTW, the word about our fun little ol' product is spreading! Megan, over at Reed's Home for Our Savior, says she's an "official" Pop'rs user now. "We enjoyed listening to our chimichangas 'talk' as I sprinkled on the Pop'rs," Megan writes in a recent post. "Even my hubby, who generally has a distaste for kiddie stuff, asked for some on his." Thanks for the endorsement, Megan!

And Smoochiefrog, she of In the Mind of a Thirty Something Mom, is celebrating her First Blogaversary this week by giving away a complete set of Pop'rs--all eight flavors! Her family has been trying Pop'rs on foods as varied as veggies, yogurt, ice cream and cinnamon rolls. She says she's gonna sprinkle some Color Burst Pop'rs on watermelon soon. "They really are fun to eat, and they give those extra vitamins that you totally can't tell are there. Fun and good for ya! Who knew?" Thanks, Smooch, and enjoy the celebration!

You, too, Dear Readers, can get in on the action. Big Bear's manning the Pilot, and is ready to put your Pop'rs into production! Please enter our Great Pop'rs Giveaway and join the fun!