I figured that since Marshmallows account for 50% of this blog's title that I ought to brush up on my knowledge about the soft, fluffy, pastel-coloured objects of deliciousness. Here are some fun facts:
- Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year, about the same weight as 1,286 gray whales
- The marshmallow capital of the world is in Ligonier, Noble County, Indiana.
- Ligonier is also the home of the annual marshmallow festival.
- Each summer more than 50% of all marshmallows sold are toasted over a fire
- The largest s’more ever made weighed 1,600 lbs. and used 20,000 toasted marshmallows and 7,000 chocolate bars. The record was set on May 23, 2003.
Ever wondered how marshmallows are made? Me, too... so I did a little research and here’s the lowdown:
In the 19th century, marshmallows were made by mixing mallow root sap, egg whites and sugar into a fluffy mold. The French added cornstarch to help speed up the production and give the candy its unforgettable form.
Today the manufacturing of marshmallows is quite different. Mallow root sap has been replaced by gelatin. Corn syrup, starch, sugar and water are mixed with the gelatin. The fluffy mixture is piped through long tubes and then cut into equal pieces. To create shaped marshmallows like Peeps, a special nozzle moves back and forth to cut the marshmallow into recognizable shapes.
Marshmallows also can be made at home. The ingredients are almost the same, but salt and vanilla extract can be added in for flavoring.
Wanna know more about the history of marshmallows. Check out this link
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