“I dreamed I was buying new shoes last night,” said Ron. “What d’ya think that’s gonna mean?”
“Probably that you’re going to be eaten by a giant marshmallow or something,” said Harry.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
It used to be that there was basically one type of marshmellow that we all remembered from childhood. We roasted “Smores” at the campfire site, and loved them between our graham crackers. Well, like everything else that has gone upscale, marshmellows have now made the gourmet leap.
I love to support local businesses, and Nashville has so many creative people that it is pretty easy to do so. The Bang Candy Company is an artisan marshmellow company started in 2010 by Sarah Souther .
In 2012 they opened up their first physical location in the wonderful Marathon Building (that is another blog in itself!)
The Bang Candy Company specializes in candy for the discerning palette. Their marshmellows are crafted in small batches using the finest ingredients, no preservatives, stabilizers, artificial colors or flavors.
The company also carries syrups, in the likes of Celery, Ginger Rosemary, Habanero Lime, Strawberry Rhubarb and Lavender Mint.
Here is another wonderful marshmellow company in Orlando, Fl.
Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Clark
Their company name is ‘Wondermade”. They only use cane sugar as the sweetner not corn syrup. They put 16 1″x1″ marshmallows in every box. After being cut to size, they are arranged in a tidy grid, sealed in a plastic bag and nestled into their signature “Wondermade” 4.5″x4.5″ boxes.
- Bourbon
- Smores
- Root Beer
- Lavender
- Honey
S’more Bar Base
Adapted from Smitten Kitchen
2 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground Vietnamese cinnamon
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, frozen
1/3 cup honey
5 tablespoons whole milk
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Combine the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low to incorporate. Add the butter and mix on low until it resembles course meal.
In a small bowl, whisk together the liquids. Add to the flour mixture and mix on low until the dough barely comes together. Pour the dough out onto plastic wrap and form it into a one inch thick rectangle.
Adjust the oven rack to the upper and lower positions and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned and semi firm to the touch. Cooking times will vary greatly depending on thickness, ovens, and pans used.
http://www.marathonvillage.com/
http://nashville.about.com/cs/historicalsites/a/marathauto.htm
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/slideshows/2011/08/smores-slideshow#slide=1