The $2.49 ALDI Find I've Waited For All Year Is Finally Back
Summer is finally here and so is this sweet and savory treat at ALDI's I've been waiting for all year.
Over a decade ago, I waited in line at a boutique ice cream shop in Toronto for close to an hour for a single scoop of roasted sweet corn ice cream. And when I say I'd do it again, with the torture of having now my kids in tow, I'm not joking. This was a long time ago, and I have never forgotten the incredible flavor of that ice cream. And despite being an accomplished recipe developer, my attempts to recreate it have never measured up. The purest essence of that sweet corn, captured in rich, velvety ice cream, was the flavor of the decade for me, perhaps even ranking in the top 10 in my life.
Since then, I've been on a quest to find that sublime roasted sweet corn flavor in other uncommon forms. So when I heard about all the fanfare around Clancy's Roasted Sweet Corn Flavored Popcorn at ALDI's, I immediately put it on my grocery list, only to find out it wasn't available year-round.
I recently noticed on ADLI's Reddit thread that it's finally back! This thread is dedicated to singing this popcorn's praises, so you know it has to be good.
Redditors have described it as "a fantastic combination of sweet and savory," "buttery without being too salty," and (my favorite) as having a "roasted sweet corn flavor with a dash of magic." High praise, indeed!
One Redditor even had to set some boundaries by putting it on their "Too Good—Do Not Buy" list, sharing that they can't help but indulge when it's around. The roasted, almost smoky notes seem to mingle with a buttery richness and just a whisper of sweetness, salt, and spice for a fun and alluring flavor experience.
At $2.49 for a six-ounce bag, this snack makes that long-sought-after, covetable flavor profile affordable and accessible. It's no roasted sweet corn ice cream, but I suspect it'll do for now!
Roasted Sweet Corn Popcorn Versatility
I know it will make a perfectly great snack as it is, but the cook in me can't help but think outside the box.
I can see this roasted sweet corn popcorn getting dressed up in Giada's popcorn cookies, tossed into simple summer corn salads for a salty, sweet crunch, mixed into kid-friendly trail and snack mixes, turned into popcorn balls or spicy clusters, drizzled with chocolate and pressed into bars, and used as an unconventional topper for soups and esquites, several of which will entice my kids to eat more veggies, not as a trick, just as an added bonus.
Now that I'm thinking of it, would adding this popcorn to the milk base give me the ice cream I'm looking for? Hmmm, I just might have to bust out the ice cream maker and give it a try! Whether, like me, you've been long searching for the perfect roasted sweet corn concoction or just looking for a fun, seasonal riff on a classic or an ultra-savory, sweet snack combination, this ALDI find warrants a try.
