Marshmallow creme

Marshmallow Fluff

Solo Marshmallow Creme

Marshmallow creme is an American food item. It is a very sweet, spreadable, marshmallow-like confection. Marshmallow creme and peanut butter are used to create a fluffernutter sandwich. In addition, marshmallow creme and Nutella can be spread on graham crackers to emulate smores.

One popular brand of marshmallow creme, sold principally in the Northeastern United States, is Marshmallow Fluff, manufactured by Suzanne's Specialties, Inc.. It is also available in Canada and in some north European supermarkets (Scandinavia and Germany) in standard, raspberry and strawberry flavor. Its ingredients consist of corn syrup, sugar syrup, vanilla flavor, and egg whites.^[1] Ricemellow Creme, manufactured by Suzanne's Specialties, Inc., is a common vegan equivalent.

History

Many late 19th century "marshmallow paste" recipes produced solid foods. The earliest mention of marshmallow creme in an American cookbook is from Fannie Farmer's Boston School Cook Book, printed in 1896. However, the author does not give a recipe for marshmallow cream in this book, instead giving a recipe for marshmallow paste in the cake filling section. In 1902, Mrs. Rorer's New Cook Book by Sarah Tyson Rorer describes her recipe for "marshmallow filling".^[2]

Around the beginning of the 20th century, Somerville, Massachusetts resident and inventor of the product^[3] Archibald Query started selling his version door-to-door. He soon afterward sold the recipe to two candy makers in Lynn, Massachusetts, H. Allen Durkee and Fred Mower, for $500. The product first hit supermarket shelves in cans as Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff in 1917. The first two words were dropped soon after, and the packaging changed to a glass jar in the 1940s. Today, the Durkee-Mower company is one of only three companies in North America to produce marshmallow creme, the others being Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme and Solo Marshmallow Creme.

"Fluff" continues as a regional tradition in the Northeast United States. One popular use is in the marshmallow fluff and peanut butter sandwich (Fluffernutter).

Since at least 2006, the city of Somerville has celebrated Query's original creation of Fluff with an annual festival in Union Square titled What the Fluff?^[4]. Typical activities at the festival have included a science fair, gallery show, cooking contests, and carnival games such as a bean-bag toss, all themed around Marshmallow Fluff.

According to a 2006 Boston Globe article, Massachusetts State Senator Jarrett Barrios proposed a restriction on the number of weekly servings of Marshmallow Fluff (Fluffernutter) sandwiches in the form of an amendment to a bill that will limit junk food in schools. The proposal was later dropped. Also in 2006 State Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein planned to file a bill that would make the Fluffernutter the official sandwich of Massachusetts. The incident is locally referred to as "The Great 2006 Kerfluffle."^[5]

References

• The Marshmallow Fluff Cookbook: More than 110 Real Recipes for Serious Fluffernuts with Justin Schwartz, Philadelphia: Running Press, 2004. ISBN 0-7624-1833-8.

1. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions about Fluff". http://www.marshmallowfluff.com/pages/faq.html#Anchor-What-48213. Retrieved February 13, 2008. 
2. ^ "Marshmallow cream/creme". Lynne Olver. http://www.foodtimeline.org/foodcandy.html#marshmallowcreme. 
3. ^ Jan, Tracy (October 1, 2006). "At Fluff-inspired festival, sweet teeth come out to play (Boston Globe)". The Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/01/at_fluff_inspired_festival_sweet_teeth_come_out_to_play/. Retrieved July 19, 2008. 
4. ^ "What the Fluff? festival, Somerville, Massachusetts". http://www.unionsquaremain.org/committees/Special%20Events/fluff%20alt.html. Retrieved October 13, 2006. 
5. ^ "Fluff fans fight back at Statehouse - Boston.com". Archived from the original on May 31, 2008. http://web.archive.org/web/20080531050338/http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/06/20/fluff_fans_fight_back_at_statehouse/. Retrieved July 8, 2006. 

External links

• Marshmallow Fluff homepage
• Ricemellow Creme homepage
• What the Fluff? A Tribute to Union Square Invention - festival honoring Archibald Query and Marshmallow Fluff