My favorite dessert is s’mores, always wanting “some more.” I will even settle for a microwaved one in a pinch, but the key to the perfect s’more is a completely roasted marshmallow over an open campfire. While patiently waiting for the marshmallow to melt, trying not to burn it made me ponder one of life’s most important questions: “What is a marshmallow and how did it get that name?”
The sweet treat we know and love gets its name from an herb called marsh mallow. This perennial flowering plant grows in wet, marshy areas and is in the mallow family, hence the name marsh mallow (Althaea officianlis). It is native to Northern Africa, Western Asia and Europe. It has been used medicinally for thousands of years to treat ailments such as toothache, bee stings and sore throats.
The sweet treat was first made out of the plant about 4,000 years ago by the Egyptians. Their recipe combined marshmallow sap with honey and nuts and it was only consumed by nobility.
What we might begin to recognize as a marshmallow was created in 19th century France. Juice extracted from the root of the marshmallow plant was combined with sugar and egg white and whipped into a confection that would harden. These marshmallow lozenges were not limited to the nobility but marketed to the masses to soothe children’s sore throats. The lozenges quickly grew in popularity. Extracting the juice from the root of the plant was laborious and took over a day to dry. Confectioners looking to speed up the process, replaced the plant sap with gelatin which also helped the marshmallows hold their shape. Although the addition of gelatin made the manufacturing process easier, removing the marshmallow sap from the marshmallow candy also removed any medicinal properties or health benefits.
At some point egg whites were also removed from the recipe. Today’s marshmallows are made of sugar, gelatin and corn syrup. The candy was further improved in 1948 when Alex Doumak developed a process for extruding marshmallows through a tube making it easier to mass produce uniform pieces as well as making them puffier by adding more air.
Although it may not be the first thing to come to mind when listing candies, marshmallows are still widely popular. Americans consume over 90 million pounds of marshmallows every year through hot chocolate, Rice Krispie treats, sweet potato casserole, peeps and of course s’mores and many other recipes. While the candy retains its original name, it’s interesting to note that most of us have never seen or tasted actual marsh mallow.
Crystal Kelly is a feature writer for Bizarre Bytes with those unusual facts that you only need to know for Trivial Pursuit or Jeopardy or to stump your in-laws.
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