Marshmallows!

There fluffy and sweet, almost like eating a cloud; marshmallows! Everyone loves a good marshmallow and there are so many ways to enjoy them. In the winter you can put them in a warm cup of hot chocolate where they melt and add a creaminess to your delicious, chocolaty drink. In the summer you can roast them over a campfire and either enjoy them plain, burnt or golden brown, or you can put them between two graham crackers with a piece of chocolate for a delicious and sticky s'more. You can also use marshmallows in baking to create tasty rice krispie bars or some delectable fudge. The marshmallow is used a lot in our society but where does it come from? Well, lets find out.
Would you believe me if I told you that marshmallows originally came from a plant? Well, they did! Marshmallows came from a sweet sap produced by the mallow plant found in marshes and is native to Europe and West Asia. Hence the name marsh-mallow. This plant was originally used for medicinal purposes such as curing inflammation and sore throats and didn't become a yummy treat until the 19th century.
The French found that if you mixed the mallow sap with egg whites and corn syrup a moldable substance was formed; the marshmallow was born! Eventually, the plant extract was replaced by gelatin. This way of baking produced the same fluffy concoction but took a lot less work. In the 1900's marsmallows were sold in tins as penny candies and also during this time period the mallow cup was created by the Boyer brothers. Marshmallows really grew in popularity during the 1920's and many treats were created such as the moon pie.
Marshmallows continue to be a classic treat and are enjoyed plain, in fun shapes such as peeps, inside of candy bars, in frostings, and in many other treats!
Marshmallow facts:
-the first known s'mores recipe came from a Girl Scout cook book in 1927
-Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows a year (about the same amount of weight as 1,286 gray whales!)
- In 2003 the largest s'more was made and it used 20,000 marshmallows, all toasted, and 7,000 chocolate bars. It weighed 1,600 pounds!
-more than 50% of marshmallows sold each summer are roasted over a fire
-The term s'more is thought to stand for "gimmie some more"
-Americans spend about 125 million dollars on marshmallows each year
-Ligonier, Noble County, Indiana is the marshmallow capital of the world

Information from:
http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/food/2011/01/its-a-marshmallow-world/
https://boyercandies.com/mallowhistory.php
http://mallowmaster.com/Marshmallow%20facts.htm
http://www.candyusa.com/FunStuff/FunFactsDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=973

Picture From:
http://www.bigoven.com/glossary/Marshmallow