Popcorn is the one food that I can say has grown up with me. When I was little, a big bowl of popcorn was a special treat. As I got older, I would pack it as a snack with a side of peanut butter to dunk it in for “protein” before sporting events. As I became an adult, I would make my popcorn so it perfectly complemented the glass of red wine I was indulging in that night. So when I moved to Jackson in my early 20s and saw the big red and green truck parked on Town Square during a weekend festival, I was entranced by the smell of popcorn and the excitement there was a gourmet popcorn company in my new town.
Mike Daus, owner of Jackson Hole POP!, has the same obsession with popcorn as I do, and he made it into his career. His latest flavor of popcorn is currently called Chili Pepper Bacon Caramel, and it is delicious. Jackson Hole POP! has asked us to reach out to our readers to come up with a fun name for this popcorn flavor. Comment below and if your name gets picked you could win some popcorn and bragging rights of naming this popcorn!
A little more about POP: During the past six years, Daus has spent time perfecting the art of the perfect POP. He started the popcorn business by making his first batch of Teton Theater Style, which is the base for his Outlaw Cheddar and Cowboy Caramel, and selling it at local markets. This quickly expanded to other events, including local fairs and concerts, which called for the use of a large kettle cooker and food truck. This allowed Jackson Hole POP! to mobilize and also allowed for wholesale manufacturing.
This past year, Daus has been working on a special project taking place off Martin Lane in Jackson. There, he has set up the POP Kitchen, which is a production facility that has allowed him to expand distribution and to help other small, food businesses get their start. The POP Kitchen currently is home to Jackson Hole POP! as well as a few other catering companies and private chefs. This space provides a clean and efficient work space for all and is very easy to rearrange for full use of the space. Everything in the kitchen is on wheels and provides the chef with complete use of the materials, storage and space. The objective of the Pop Kitchen is to be a “community kitchen serving small food businesses, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, private chefs, culinary educators, craft service providers, community organizations, and others involved in the healthy, local, and sustainable food culture.” For more information on the POP Kitchen including how to rent the facility check out www.jhpopkitchen.com.
Jackson Hole POP! has a great selection of signature popcorn flavors that you can order online or at the various different local events the truck is at including farmers markets, parades, and concerts. Their signature flavors include: the Campfire Kettle popcorn, Grand Teton Theater Style popcorn, Outlaw Cheddar popcorn, Cowboy Caramel popcorn, and the Lucky Cowboy 3-mix popcorn. Each season JH Pop also has an array of limited edition popcorn flavors.
