Wednesday, August 13, 2025
90.0°F

State of Cornfusion: Popcorn seller fills farmers market with flavor

JOEL MARTIN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 6 years, 10 months AGO
by JOEL MARTIN
Joel Martin has been with the Columbia Basin Herald for more than 25 years in a variety of roles and is the most-tenured employee in the building. Martin is a married father of eight and enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, Christina. He is passionate about the paper’s mission of informing the people of the Columbia Basin because he knows it is important to record the history of the communities the publication serves. | October 3, 2018 3:00 AM

MOSES LAKE — This is not, as the saying goes, your father’s popcorn. Unless your father was into flavors like Dill Pickle, Sweet Lime Habanero and Strawberry Lemonade.

These and 40-some more flavors are the stock in trade of Cornfusion, which you can usually find at the Moses Lake and Quincy farmers markets.

“We typically take to market about 10 flavors every week,” said Debbie Doran-Martinez, who owns Cornfusion. “We rotate them through. There are some, the basics, you know, Cheddar, Rainbow Fruit, we take those every single week. Then there are some that are requested all the time that we take every other week. Then there are some flavors that we just maybe bring once or twice. ”

Cornfusion is a “side gig” for Doran-Martinez, who is also the executive director of the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce. She and her husband Alex bought it a couple of years ago and “we’ve been making lots of popcorn ever since.”

The business is a family operation, Doran-Martinez said, and they try to involve their grandchildren in particular. “It gives them a work ethic and customer service skills, money handling, all of that. So we make it not only a family fun business, but also they’re learning skills for life.”

The corn is popped and flavored in a specially-refitted shop at Doran-Martinez’ home. It’s licensed with the Washington Department of Agriculture, which means the family can produce the stuff, sell it on the internet and ship it to out-of-area buyers. This particular license also enables Cornfusion to sell wholesale to other retailers.

The flavors themselves are as real as they are varied, Doran-Martinez said. When she spoke with the Herald, she and her family had just finished making Maple Bacon and had segued into Almond Joy, which actually has coconut and almonds in it and is drizzled with dark chocolate.

“It’s crazy how the different flavors are so true to what their names are. We have one called Red Hot Cinnamon, and it tastes like cinnamon bears. We have one called Iced Cinnamon Bun, and it tastes like a Cinnabon cinnamon roll.” All the flavors are gluten-free, she added, with the exception of Buffalo Wing Blue Cheese. There’s even a seasonal one for Christmas time called Elf Crunch, which is presumably not made from real elves.

Currently besides the booths at the farmers markets, Cornfusion is available at a Michael’s Market and Bistro and Second Time Silver in Moses Lake, as well as two places in Pendleton, Ore. If everything goes right, she says, she’s hoping to expand that to include Yakima, Wenatchee and even Seattle. “That’s if I can ever get a break from making popcorn,” she said.

ARTICLES BY JOEL MARTIN

Soap Lake lights up with Moonlight Paddle
August 11, 2025 4:09 p.m.

Soap Lake lights up with Moonlight Paddle

SOAP LAKE — The surface of Soap Lake was lit up Saturday night by canoes, kayaks, inflatables and paddleboards for the annual Moonlight Paddle. “We had an amazing turnout, probably one of the best I’ve seen,” said Susan Carson, vice president of the Soap Lake chamber of Commerce, which organizes the event. “We had 52 registered vessels and … probably at least another 10 that were just there for the fun. We had people (who) came clear from West Seattle, Wenatchee and Tri-Cities.”

Dental caring
August 13, 2025 3 a.m.

Dental caring

Volunteers serve dental patients at free clinic

MOSES LAKE — The Moses Lake Seventh-day Adventist Church’s annual free dental clinic seems to be making a difference. About 100 people came through each day of the clinic, Meyer said, and about half of those were just there for cleanings.

Hanford Reach turns 25
August 12, 2025 1:10 a.m.

Hanford Reach turns 25

RICHLAND — Sen. Patty Murray visited the Hanford Reach Wednesday to mark the 25th anniversary of the Reach’s designation as a national monument. “Even though a lot has changed over the last 25 years, still one thing that hasn’t changed,” she said. “The Hanford Reach. And that’s a testament, not just to the huge victory we won that day, but also to the hard work that this community has done every year since to continue preserving and protecting the Hanford Reach.”