If you visited the last season and noticed the enticing aroma of freshly-popped kettle corn, you most likely smelled the crunchy creations of Curtis St. Julien.
St. Julien, who will be back this season at the market, has been in the popcorn business for over ten years. He started Curtis’ Jammin’ Kettle Korn in the Contra Costa County area in Walnut Creek and eventually branched into farmer’s markets, street fairs and wine festivals all over the east bay.
According to St. Julien, his popcorn can be found in Fremont, Hayward and San Lorenzo.
“I supply everybody, really,” said St. Julien. “I pop seven days a week.”
St. Julien sells not only small, medium and large bags of both the flavored and regular kettle corn but also party-sized bags that serve large groups.
Originally, St. Julien started supplying Cal State East Bay with popcorn during finals week.
“I was a favorite and so now I am popping there three days a month, right next to the bookstore,” commented St. Julien. “I put a lot of popcorn scent into the air between regular and caramel and people can smell it for about five blocks.”
St. Julien, who is a San Lorenzo local, prides himself on his flavors.
“I usually have four flavors such as caramel, cinnamon, double-sweet and regular. I supply sugar-free as well, for my diabetic customers,” he said “You won’t taste cinnamon or caramel at any other market.”
St. Julien says his popcorn business has been a family affair from day one with help from this wife, Carlotta (a.k.a Carlee), and their children Tiana and Terrell.
“It is part of their [the children’s] culture now; they have been around it forever,” said St. Julien.
St. Julien has supplied popcorn to the Cal State outdoor theater for their seasonal shows during the months of May through October. He says that for the last four years, he pre-pops the popcorn and they sell it at the shows.
He also supplied popcorn for the Nummi Plant’s Farmer’s Market before it closed down.
Although St. Julien says he loves his kettle corn, he also admits he sneaks a taste of traditional popcorn every now and then.
“I definitely taste and eat my popcorn but I do like the buttered, salty popcorn every now and then,” he said.
Look for Curtis’ Jammin’ Kettle Korn at the San Lorenzo Farmers’ Market every Saturday starting on May 5.
