S’more marshmallows

Martin Zibauer has been playing with his food again. This time, Cottage Life’s intrepid food editor, who produces the magazine’s annual barbecue guide (remember the blue chicken?), decided to make his own marshmallows.

I know what you’re thinking: Why would anybody make marshmallows when you can buy them by the no-name economy-bagful at the grocery store? Could someone have too much time on his hands?

Ah, but then maybe you’ve never made your own bread, or jam, or candy, either. For foodies, there is nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing about in the kitchen.

Like all good culinary explorers, Martin shares his adventures with us, and that’s how I ended up taking a little container of white, sugary cubes home for the weekend recently to try on my niece and nephew.

Have you ever watched a little kid taste something he or she is not quite sure of? They take a tentative little bite, the smallest possible nibble, while watching the mystery food closely, skeptical and slightly cross-eyed, so as not to lose sight of it.

Can you tell the difference? I can’t tell the difference! (That’s the home-made marshmallow on the right.)

The verdict? Yummy. Sweet. Soft inside, a little too granular on the outside, according to my picky brother-in-law, but that could have been because they sat on the kitchen counter at the office for a day before I rescued them. (Have you ever watched adults taste something they’re not quite sure of? It usually starts with, “Uh, thanks, looks amazing, but…”)

Did you know that 50 per cent of marshmallows sold in the summer end up toasted? We discovered that and s’more marshmallow trivia as we put together Cottage Life’s summer issue, which goes on press next week.