We are deep into the fall season and toasted Marshmallows are my children's favorite. But what is the history of this campfire favorite? I like to trace the roots of plants to the roots of people and culture.
Marshmallow are a central part of our "holi" days all with roots in Ancient Africa. Marshmallow topped hot chocolate for Christmas, Marshmallow easter bunnies, Marshmallow centered candy for Halloween, Marshmallow topped candied yams for Thanksgiving. Each equinox celebration carrying the tradition of the food with the the cultures that carries the celebrations.
"The Althaea Officinalia, it's scientific name, is a woody stemmed perennial herb, which grows 2 to 4 feet high and has little delicate pinkish-white petals. These five petal flowers bloom only in the summer months and their long thick roots are a pale yellow color.
The ancient Egyptians used mallow root for making candied delicacies for their gods, nobility, and Pharaohs, over 2000 years ago. Since it was a crime for anyone else to eat these sugar like tidbits, children had to look towards honey and figs for curing the candy sweet tooth.
Egyptian marshmallows don't look like the marshmallows we know today. They mixed the mallow sap with honey, grains, and baked this into cakes."
The marshmallow plant's sap was also used by gladiators in ancient Rome
Marshmallow are a central part of our "holi" days all with roots in Ancient Africa. Marshmallow topped hot chocolate for Christmas, Marshmallow easter bunnies, Marshmallow centered candy for Halloween, Marshmallow topped candied yams for Thanksgiving. Each equinox celebration carrying the tradition of the food with the the cultures that carries the celebrations.
"The Althaea Officinalia, it's scientific name, is a woody stemmed perennial herb, which grows 2 to 4 feet high and has little delicate pinkish-white petals. These five petal flowers bloom only in the summer months and their long thick roots are a pale yellow color.
The ancient Egyptians used mallow root for making candied delicacies for their gods, nobility, and Pharaohs, over 2000 years ago. Since it was a crime for anyone else to eat these sugar like tidbits, children had to look towards honey and figs for curing the candy sweet tooth.
Egyptian marshmallows don't look like the marshmallows we know today. They mixed the mallow sap with honey, grains, and baked this into cakes."
The plant looks like cotton when dry and okra when flowering, to me. The French carried it to America.
Most interesting to me of the plant that inspired ghostbusters is that it can be used to make cords, as in the stretching of the cord ceremony.
In this video I thought she gave a good explanation of the medicinal value which the ancient egyptians recorded as well. It protects the gut and as a reflex also the lungs. This may help people with digestive problems that may also get pneumonia or bronchitis along with their acid reflux.
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