Key Ingredient
KEY INGREDIENT: MARSHMALLOWS
They're puffy and light, sweet and white. A kid's delight and for a sugar fiend, a mouthwatering sight.
Whether you like them sugarcoated, smothered with chocolate, mixed in ice cream, nestled on hot chocolate, smashed between graham crackers or just plain right out of the bag, marshmallows are sure to please in one form or another.
The basics: Marshmallow candy is a very old treat, believed to date back to ancient Egypt. It was originally a honey-based sweet thickened with the root sap of the marsh-mallow plant. Today, gelatin and sugar replace sap and honey.
Packaged marshmallows generally come as large or miniature cube-like white or pastel colored puffs. A creamier Marshmallow Fluff, or créme, was the brainchild of two young entrepreneurs by the name of Durkee and Mower in 1920. It spawned the popular Fluffernutter sandwich made of peanut butter and Fluff.
Marshmallow Peeps are another popular treat this time of the year.
Selecting: Some people swear by certain brands, but essentially, all marshmallows have the same light, sweet flavor.
Storing: Marshmallows have a long shelf life if kept in plastic and tightly sealed. They don't need refrigeration although they can be refrigerated or frozen if desired.
Use: Perhaps no other candy, with the exception of chocolate, is quite as versatile as the marshmallow. It is used in everything from ambrosia salad to baked yams. It can be melted down to make Rice Krispie treats and marshmallow fudge or used as a sweet garnish. Although marshmallows are most often storebought, they can also be made at home by melting sugar in water, then beating with gelatin until soft peaks form. The mixture can then be enjoyed as is or shaped and molded using a pastry bag or molds. Various flavors, colorings or condiments can be added.
Where to buy: Packaged marshmallows are always available in stores, but this time of the year they fill the aisles at good prices ranging from $1 to $2.99 for a 16 ounce bag.
Food Stuffs: Morsels
Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com
