Unless you buy those pre-packaged bags of microwaveable and chemical-laden crap, popcorn is one of the best snacks out there in terms of value and convenience. Factor in the taste, too, and it's a clear winner, as Mark Bittman points out in his Bitten blog.

Yes, yes -- true popcorn requires digging out a big pot with a big lid. (If you like living on the edge, you can improvise your own microwavable packet out of a paper bag and two (and only two) staples.)

No matter how you get there, once you get those little nuggets of goodness to open that the real fun begins. Bittman provides two recipes for a Salty-Sweet Snack and a Parmesan Popcorn. But the posts comments are full of tasty gold. Be sure to give them a good look before you head for the stove.

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