There are Marshmallows the plant…..with a lovely white flower
Marshmallow – Althea officinalis. Officinalis in a plant name usually means it has/had a medicinal use.
Marshmallows the plant is pretty good for whatever seems to be ailing you – breathing issues, gastric ulcers, burns or wounds. In some cases the roots are used.
The extract of the root is known as halawa extract and is sometimes used as a flavoring in halva.
Halva – another sort of confection altogether….
- back to Marshmallows
Because it’s the hot cocoa/chocolate time of year….today is more like the Iced Tea sort of day, but any day in Winter that doesn’t have snow is a good day for me….I wanted some marshmallows to go on top of the seasonal hot beverage. A jar of Fluff would do…..but mini marshmallows are the just right for a cup of hot.
Here in Plymouth you can also get a cup of Not-Hot Chocolate. It is HOT; what it’s not is chocolate. It’s car0b.
Carob beans were what Europe had before the Spanish Conquistadors came to MesoAmerican and found chocolate
Carob is sooo another story. With chocolate. And without it….
Back to Marshmallows
The little Dandies were on sale – on sale marshmallows are the BEST sort of marshmallows.
Vanilla??? Marshmallows have a ….flavor? Aren’t they all about the sweet and the fluffy and the texture and the look…..but the taste?
These mini Dandies were indeed fine and dandy little marshmallows. Tasty. SO tasty, I checked how many marshmallows in a serving (90 for 1 ounce) to stop myself from eating the whole bag. Usually, stopping isn’t an issue. Marshmallows are so much better in things or on things they they are by themselves. Unless they’re toasted…
Doesn’t even need a graham cracker….
But marshmallows start getting all sorts of press around Thanksgiving, thank you Sweet Potato Casserole, which IF it has to have marshmallows on top, put it in a crust and call it PIE and serve it for dessert.
How is this NOT dessert??
One of the problems with moving house is that nothing is where you can find it….easily. So a pie or a casserole for the Thanksgiving potluck – I wasn’t even sure where my knives where….pots, pans, bowls – measuring cups????? Too may things – what was a minimalist thing to do? I’d already suggested the ubiquitous can of cranberry sauce to several people (most of whom did not believe that since SOMEONE has to bring it, it could just as well be them. The one who couldn’t bear the thought of T day without it was the one that brought the cans.) And then I found……
Sweet potato chips with a marshmallow dip – Much easier!
1 large container of fluff and 1 pound of sour cream, beaten together
2 bags sweet potato chips….done!
This isn’t exactly the Food Network Magazine recipe
…but I realized I didn’t have lids and bowls that matched, nor did I have tin foil or plastic wrap in the house, so by making a double batch of dip I could pack it up in the (nicely washed out) Fluff container.
Broil the top – less easy, easy to live without,
BUT
if you have a blow torch, and brown the top in front of everyone, it becomes and event, and a memorable one, at that.
Sweet potato fries also good suggestion, but more work. Sweet potato chips are also gluten free.
Internet search has some suggesting fruit with this dip, but that is just plain too sweet. Chips, with the lovely salty crunchy aspect – OR – since we make PUMPKIN BREAD why not sweet potato bread…hmmmmmmmm – with mini marshmallows mixed in OR sliced and served with fluff……
Thank you Food Network Magazine
Chip off the Old Casserole Food Network Magazine Nov 2015 p. 69.
Now it’s time for cocoa….with marshmallows.
P.S. – WordPress just sent me a message – it’s 2 years ago today that this blog began – thanks for reading!
The next time I go to the supermarket, I will buy some mini marshmallows to put a few in my hot tea. Can’t wait to try it. IBW