Here's How You Can Get Chicago Style Popcorn Without Traveling To The Windy City

Being from the Windy City, I'm always proud to tell people about our hometown specialties, and , as well as sopping wet Italian beef, which has gotten renewed interest thanks to But there is one Chicago snack that doesn't get mentioned nearly as often in conversation, and it's a unique flavor combination of popcorn, of all things. That's because it sounds like such an unlikely mix that it shouldn't work. It's the pairing of salty, neon-orange cheddar cheese popcorn with rich, sweet, and crunchy caramel corn.

Yep, cheese and caramel. The combination purportedly came about in 1977 via local brand Garrett Popcorn, who says that the blend was "due to fans often requesting an extra, empty bag so they could mix the two together." The brand now calls it "Garrett Mix" (it's not called "Chicago Mix" due to a trademark conflict with a shop called Candyland in St.



Paul, Minnesota), but if you can't make it here, you can also get the official Garrett's pre-packaged stuff online. Why this unique combination of popcorn flavors works Honestly, I wasn't sold on the idea of a caramel and cheese popcorn mix at all until I tried it for the first time. But it really does work, and after one small handful, you might find yourself going back for another three.

It's really that successful interplay between salty and sweet: The oily savoriness of the cheddar popcorn counterbalances the sweet, rich, buttery caramel. Even . However, I do have to say that the fresh version is much more satisfying than the pre-packaged one, since the fresh popcorn retains a fluffy crispness.

Local Garrett stands here somehow manage to load each kernel up with an impossible amount of flavor. So even if you're in Chicago on a layover, there are Garrett outposts at our major airports (though admittedly, they're pricey), and the mix is definitely worth trying if you've never had it fresh. Otherwise, there's the version sold online that I mentioned, which makes a great snack when company's over or for movie night.

Just try not to eat it too quickly. Recommended.