KILLER MARSHMALLOWS!!!!!

Writing about food is a bit of a difficult task for me; there are just so many tasty things I could speak about! After some thought (and a snack) I have settled on one of my many childhood favorites, MARSHMALLOWS! No matter how you liked them: lightly browned, charred to blackened crisp, or even straight out of the bag- marshmallows were (and still are) the best fireside treat! Luckily for us, you don’t have to be off in the woods with a campfire to enjoy these delicious confections. Marshmallows seem to be made or mixed into just about anything now days including the classic rice krispie treat, the old but delicious fluffernutter sandwich, and the colorful Easter peeps.

Since the time of the Egyptians marshmallows have been satisfying humanity’s sweet tooth. Roughly four thousand years ago people began making marshmallows from the root of the marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis) plant. This process was done by boiling the root, then straining and cooling the pulp resulting in sweet and fluffy delicacy reserved for royalty. Over the past few millennia we have come a long way in craft of marshmallow making. Today most marshmallows are made with gelatin (which comes from the processed hooves and hides of horses, pigs, and cattle) rather than the hard to find marsh mallow root. In this process corn syrup, gelatin, gum arabic and flavoring are combined, pushed through tubes, and cut to the desired size. Automated marshmallow making has allowed for only a handful of companies to dominate the industry creating little need for homemade marshmallows.

After a bit of research I have found that these yummy morsels have a much more sinister side to them. Marshmallows have caused at least two deaths in the recent past. Both deaths were caused by suffocation while playing Chubby Bunny. Chubby Bunny is played by placing marshmallows into your mouth until you are no longer able to say “Chubby Bunny.” The marshmallows are then counted and the person with the most wins. This all sound like fun and games until a puffy treat clogs your esophagus. Fortunately my days of playing Chubby Bunny have long past and I am content toasting my next marshmallow over the open fire.

Information found at the following sites:

http://www.enotes.com/how-products-encyclopedia/marshmallow

http://inventors.about.com/od/foodrelatedinventions/a/marshmallows_3.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chubby_Bunny