marshmallows-msg – 9/28/11

The original marshmallow treats, made from the Marsh Mallow plant and not concoctions of sugar and gelatin.

NOTE: See also the files: candy-msg, snow-msg, Sgr-a-Cnftns-art, medvl-sweets-lnks, Sugarplums-art, p-medicine-msg, sugar-paste-msg, carob-msg, 14C-Sweets-art.

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NOTICE -

This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.

This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.

The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors.

Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s).

Thank you,
    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
                                          Stefan at florilegium.org
************************************************************************

Date: Sat, 5 Dec 1998 13:04:04 -0500
From: mermayde at juno.com (Christine A Seelye-King)
Subject: SC - Our Favorite Fun Foods

I just finished watching a show on the Discovery Channel called "Our
Favorite Fun Foods".  It was an hour long special on famous American
comfort foods, including SPAM, Twinkies, Kellogg's Corn Flakes, Swanson
TV Dinners, Dr. Pepper, Jell-O, PEZ, Cracker Jack, Hot Dogs, and
Marshmallows.  The history of the marshmallow was interesting.  They said
that Ancient Egyptians extracted a sweet syrupy substance from the roots
of Mallow plants, and molded them into shapes.  They were given to
Royalty to eat as delicacies.  The molded gelatinous sweet was used by
Alchemists, Chemists, and Druggists to cure all sorts of ailments.  A
Parisian Confectioner produced marshmallows in the early 18th century.
Mallow roots became very hard to come by and very expensive, so
scientists developed a substitute syrup made with sugar and gelatin.
Scientists in the 1920's developed a jet-puffed process, producing the
product we know today.  They showed a tray of the sweets made from the
mallow roots, and they looked kind of like globs of almond paste.  Hmmm, I
wonder if that was known in the MA? Perhaps in the Mediterranean?
Cool show, done by the same folks who did "Our Favorite Toys".

Christianna


Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2000 15:04:36 -0500
From: margali <margali at 99main.com>
Subject: Re: SC - marsh mallow root

We took the roots of the mallows, and washed them really well, chopped
them coarsly and put them in a pot with water to cover. we simmered the
dadblasted thangs over very low heat for several hours, extracting the
juices from the really tough and fiberous roots. The root has a natural
demulcent quality that is very similar to psyllum husk, and gells up
nicely. we added honey and simmered it to reduce it down to a fairly
solid glop. It was sweet, sort of like gummi bears that have been
sitting on a radiator in texture and tasted-green. Not unpleasant, but
not the sugary vanilla taste moderns are used to. I would assume in
period the egyptians used some sort of spices to flavor it? If making it
now, I would infuse it with some lemon or orange peel oil, and maybe a
touch of galengale and just the smallest bit of caraway...

It took a whopping full large enamel stockpot to make just a tiny
residue of goop, probably 1 gallon reduces down to a bout 2 cups of
glop. You could probably do the roll it in starch trick, or add rice
flour/spelt starch to solidify it and make it more like a jellybean or
gummi candy. Not at all like the pouffy airpuffed gelatin marshmallows
but good if you have a sweet tooth. I could definitely see it used for
upset tummies or sore throats, with its natural demulcent properties,
and the right herbals in the mix.

margali


Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 10:59:38 -0400
From: "Siegfried Heydrich" <baronsig at peganet.com>
Subject: Re: SC - feast catapults

> >     Marshmallows were eaten as far back as Pharonic Egypt, but I doubt
> > seriously if they were puffed. What I've had described to me sounded
> > more like a taffy or nougat.
>
> Documentation for their use in period?
>
> /UlfR

    Dunno about OUR period, in europe, but as I recall, Pliny the Elder
mentioned them as being an upper class Egyptian sweetmeat. It was originally
honey, flavored with an extract from the root of the marsh mallow (Athaea
officinalis) and then boiled & hardened.

    What we think of as modern marshmallows wasn't developed until way out
of period, in the early 1800s, and it was mallow root sap mixed with sugar,
whipped to a light consistency, and then molded. Puffed marshmallows (which
I don't think actually has any mallow in it anymore) is a 20th century
product.

    Sieggy


Date: Thu, 7 Sep 2006 01:20:51 -0500
From: "Lisa" <silvina at allegiance.tv>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] period marshmallow references?
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

> Adamantius responded to Duriel with:
> <<< As for the marshmallow posts, it should be noted that marshmallow
> lozenges, as in candies made from the mucilaginous juice of the marsh
> mallow, do appear in late period and early post-period, and they do
> have some historical significance. >>>
>
> I've heard of this before, but not in even this much detail. And
> since the Florilegium is full of little, probably inconsequential,
> oddities,  I'd love to see more details on these marshmallow lozenges
> or references to them. Do we have any actual recipes or directions
> for these? Has anyone here actually tried to make these treats?
>
>    Stefan

I think one of my herbal books has a recipe for marshmallow losenges.  I'll
have to get it out and look.  This herbal encyclopedia has a lot of
historical herbal recipes, including the Thieves of Marsailles vinegar that
they used to avoid becoming infected by the plague.  Considering it had a
LOT of garlic in it, I suspect that was why they weren't infected lol.

Elizabeta


Date: Thu, 07 Sep 2006 07:29:03 -0400
From: Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] period marshmallow references?
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

>  I'd love to see more details on these marshmallow lozenges
> or references to them. Do we have any actual recipes or directions
> for these? Has anyone here actually tried to make these treats?
>
>    Stefan

Laura Mason in Sugar-Plums and Sherbet has an entire chapter on
liquorice and marshmallow. see pages 164-177. She mentions
Alessio's one conserve to prevent coughing contains marshmallow.
Looking up Alessio, one finds several mentions.
This is from the fourth volume pub. in 1569.

"A remedie against infection of the lunges, and the Ptisick.

TAke of the leaues and s?edes of marsh Mallowes, and boyle them in milke
or wine: of the which, giue the sicke to drinke euery morning, and he
will be hole."

It's also used in other remedies: "Against the disease Gonorrhea.

TAke of mundified Liqueris, of Alchechengi berries, of Iuiubes, of the
rootes of marsh Mallowes, of eche halfe an ounce, of Mellon s?edes one
ounce, of the iuice of Liqueris fiue drammes, braye them a little, and
boyle them in foure pintes of water of Mellons, and Alchechengi, vntill
the fourth part of the water be consumed, and being streyned, k?epe it
to giue vn|to the sicke to drinke."

"To heale the sores of the mouth, and throte.

TAke of the leaues of marsh Mallowes, and boyle them in wine and Honye,
putting therevnto Roche Allum, and being strayned, let it stande to
coole, and with that decoction cause the diseased to wash his mouth and
his throte oftentimes, and it will heale him."

The noble arte of venerie or hunting from 1575 calls for in cures
for dogs.

A rich store-house or treasury for the diseased by A.T. from 1596 has
"A Medicine for an Ache, or shrinking of any Sinewes.
TAke the tenderings of Rosemary, & marsh mallowes, by as euen portions
as you can gesse, and gather your hearbes when they be drie, from any
raine and dewe: Beate them in a morter very small, then take Maie butter
well clarified, and put it to the hearbes, and mingle it in a vessell,
and then let it stand foure daies, then set it ouer the fier and let it
seeth till all the strength of the hearbs be gone, then take a little of
it in a spoone, and let it drop vpon your nasle, and if it be greene as
the Emerauld, it is perfect, and then put it into an earthen pot, and
when you will vse it, you must warme it." Chapter 5 pp. 2

A good explanation is provided by Gervase Markham in his translation of
Maison rustique, or The countrey farme. From the 1616 edition-

"There may likewise conserue be made of the root of Elecampane after  
this
man|ner: Make verie cleane the roots of Elecampane, as wee haue said,
and cut them in small slices, infuse them a long time vpon hot embers in
water, and after to boile them so long, as till they be tender ?odden:
then stampe them and straine them through a Linnen cloth or Strainer,
and in the end boyle them vp with thrice as much Honey or Sugar.

You may in like manner preserue and conserue manie other roots, as
Gentian, Pio|nie, Corne-flag, wild Vine, Parsneps, Althaea, or marsh
Mallowes, Turneps, Carrets, Radishes, Naue?s, Caraway, Eringus, and such
other like, all which will be the more pleasant, if you put vnto the
conserued or pre?erued a little Cinnamon.

Lastly, be it knowne, that by this word confected, preseruing, or
confection, is to be vnderstood the remaining of the root or other thing
(whatsoeuer it is that is pre|serued or confected) whole: and by the
word conserue, or conserued, is to be vn|derstood that manner of
ordering things, whereby they are stamped and beaten verie small."

It's also mentioned in Gerald and Culpepper.

----------
I have made gelatin marshmallows, but have never started with the
actual plant.

Johnnae


From: johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu
Subject: 	period marshmallow references?
Date: September 10, 2006 6:28:12 AM CDT
To: 	StefanliRous at austin.rr.com

Stefan li Rous wrote:
<<< I wonder where you would even find marshmallow plants these days, if one wanted to try some of this for an A&S experiment or whatever.

Stefan >>>

I have some books on the botany of plants and what grew when
but I didn't go into all of that. It was my impression that the European
mallow plant isn't something that grew over here prior to maybe being brought
over with early colonists. I might be wrong on this
but I don't think it's native to North America. We have so much trouble with
non-native species already that I'd be hesitant to plant it just for thrill of
trying it. Michigan's wetlands already have to cope with purple loosestrife taking over from native cattails.

Lopking up mallow--
http://www.alexisles.com/plover/2-93-a.html

http://columbia.thefreedictionary.com/Mallow+(plant)

"Mallow, common name for members of the Malvaceae, a family of herbs and shrubs distributed over most of the world and especially abundant in the American tropics. Tropical species sometimes grow as small trees. The family is characterized by often mucilaginous sap and by showy, five-part flowers with a prominent column of fused stamens.

The true mallows (genus /Malva/) are native to north temperate regions of the Old World, although many species have escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in the United States.

North American species, sometimes cultivated and most common in the South and West, include the false mallows (genus /Malvastrum/) and the rose, or swamp, mallows (genus /Hibiscus/) found in marshy areas across the country. Introduced species of hibiscus include the rose of Sharon, or shrubby althea (/H. syriacus/), a popular ornamental bush or small tree native to Asia, and okra, or gumbo <http://columbia.thefreedictionary.com/gumbo> gumbo, another name for okra; also applied in the W United States to a rich, black, alkaline alluvial soil, which is soapy or sticky when wet.
*.....* Click the link for more information. (/H. esculentus/), native to Africa, whose mucilaginous pods are used as a vegetable and in soups and stews. /Alothea/ is an Old World genus. The hollyhock (/A. rosea/), the most popular ornamental of the family, is a Chinese perennial now widely naturalized and cultivated as a biennial or annual in many varieties of diverse colors.

/A. officinalis/ is the marsh mallow, a name sometimes used also for the larger-blossomed rose mallows. The root of the true marsh mallow, a native of Europe, has been used medicinally. It was formerly used for the confection marshmallow, which is now usually made from syrup, gelatin, and other ingredients. The tropical and subtropical flowering maple genus /Abutilon,/ named for the maplelike foliage of some species, includes several house and bedding ornamentals. Some Asian species yield a fiber known as China jute—e.g., the velvetweed (/A. theophrasti/), called also Indian mallow and velvetleaf for the texture of its foliage. This plant, introduced to the United States as an ornamental, has become a noxious weed. Economically, the most important plant in the family is cotton <http://columbia.thefreedictionary.com/cotton> cotton, most important of the vegetable fibers, and the plant from which the fiber is harvested."======

So according to this is something akin to okra.

There's a picture at http://www.illustratedgarden.org/mobot/rarebooks/page.asp?relation=QK98R61789&identifier=0092
But this picture according to the next source is that of the blue mallow and not the common mallow.
Check at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/m/mallow07.html
This Modern Herbal homepage indicates they grew in Britain in gardens too so they ought to be in some of the English gardening books.

Johnnae


Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 08:00:49 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Sometime back in August we had a discussion on s'mores
that extended into Marshmallows and period references by early September.
I looked up some of the early references for Stefan and posted those at
that time.

I have now actually come across a source for the plant root.
San Francisco Herb Company carries marshmallow root.
http://www.sfherb.com/cart/webstore/SearchResults.asp

Althaea Officinalis  $4.40 per pound

Johnnae


Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 17:22:27 -0500
From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius1 at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

On Dec 18, 2006, at 5:00 PM, Stefan li Rous wrote:

> The description on the site says:
> <<< Our Marshmallow Root comes in a cut suitable for tea and has been
> sifted to remove excess dust. Current lot is not square cut and is
> "fuzzy" and fibrous. >>>
>
> What does it mean "in a cut suitable for tea"?

Exactly what it sounds like: cut small enough to give you a good
infusion in less time than it takes for a small pot of boiling water,
or a cup, to cool off to an undesirable extent, without being
powdered, or cut up so small that it produces a cloudy or gritty
beverage. In other words, the end product is designed for making
marshmallow tea, which is presumably something like comfrey tea, with
a slightly mucilaginous quality generally considered good for things
like sore throats.

But you can still make lozenges or even poufy marshmallows out of it...

Adamantius


Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:20:48 -0500
From: rattkitten <rattkitten at hughes.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

PLEASE BE AWARE!!!!
Marshmallow  the Herb contains salicylic acid which if you aren't aware
is the main ingredient in aspirin.
Now the medicinal treat that I am reading about seems to be basically a
meringue. Egg whites, sugar, and marshmallow root.

My guess would be that the Marshmallow acts as the gelatin that is used
in modern marshmallows...

Personal experience... The tea is slimy and thick.  Very Gelatinous and
very akin to drinking Slippery Elm Tea.  Which tastes just like it
sounds... Slippery.  And Elmish. Tea made from Marshmallow is very
gloppy.  However it is good for sore throats, asthma, bladder
infections, kidney problems, sinusitis, and Yes Virginia, even a
Headache. (BTW for a headache White Willow is better... it is the
original aspirin...)

Just wanted to give a heads up.  You Could make marshmallows out of this
stuff, just be aware of what other things this herb is used for.
A final warning.... For those who might be considering a nice hot cuppa
marshmallow tea... Lots of sugar and be aware that it has the texture of
a nice hot snot ball. (Sorry)
Yeah it worked... but it was not a pleasant experience!!!!

Nichola


Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2006 21:31:29 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Interesting. So it may in fact have been a half decent cure for fever as well
as a sore throat..

Johnnae

rattkitten wrote:
> Marshmallow  the Herb contains salicylic acid which if you aren't  
> aware is the main ingredient in aspirin.


Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 15:41:27 -0800
From: "K C Francis" <katiracook at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org

I have had some growing in a pot on my patio for some years.  This year I
transplanted it into the ground.  It dies back each winter and then sprouts
up again in the spring.  Guess I will have to try my hand at making
marshmallows from it.  The tea sounds disgusting!.

Katira


Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 11:38:00 -0700
From: "Kathleen A Roberts" <karobert at unm.edu>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] source for marshmallow
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

"K C Francis" <katiracook at hotmail.com> wrote:
The tea sounds disgusting!.

it is, but...

picture the rainy, sopping wet, chilled, muddy estrella of
two years ago.  add to that a respiratory bug (both of
us).  add to that a wonderful herbalist from our kingdom
who put together mullein and mallow for us as a tea, which
made life really much more bearable.
better cold, infinitely better sweetened.

why did i go when i was sick as a dawg?  because i was in
charge of the baronial food plan as well as hosting the
traditional baronial green chili stew night.  must be that
crazy cook gene....

cailte
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Kathleen Roberts
Coordinator of Freshman Admissions
University of New Mexico


Date: Fri, 21 Dec 2007 20:10:07 -0500
From: "Sharon Gordon" <gordonse at one.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Hard to Get Ingedients--marsh mallow Althaea
	officinalis
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

Richter's Herbs  has both the seeds to grow it and the dried roots
http://www.richters.com/Web_store/web_store.cgi? 
product=X3920&cart_id=9920998.5684

Below is a list of what they currently have.  And they indicate it  can be
grown all the way to Zone 9 so that would cover a tremendous amount of NA.

Sharon
gordonse at one.net

Marshmallow
Althaea officinalis

Uses: Medicinal  Duration: Perennial (hardy in zones 3-9)
When to Sow: Spring/Late Summer/Early Fall  Ease of Germination: Easy
Noted for soothing irritations and inflammations of the skin, throat,  
eyes, lungs and urinary organs.

  E3920  Fluid extract root 50mL  $15.00/ea

  H3920  Dried root cut 25g  $3.00/pkg

  H3920  Bulk dried root cut  $55.00/1000g

  P3920  Plants  $2.75/ea, $6.75/3 plants

  P3920  Plug tray 120  $51.00/ea

  S3920  Seeds  $1.50/pkt

  S3920  Bulk Seeds  $6.00/10g, $30.00/100g, $191.00/1000g


Date: Sat, 22 Dec 2007 13:26:43 -0800
From: K C Francis <katiracook at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Hard to Get Ingedients
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

I've got a marsh mallow plant that I bought at a nursery in the herb  
section I believe.

I live just north of San Francisco, a mile from the bay.   
The mallow plant was in a pot but is now in the ground.  I also have  
a lemongrass plant in a pot on the patio where it has been happy for  
years, just to give you an idea of what I can grow here.  It got down  
to 32 last night but no frozen bird bath yet.  I get quite a thick  
layer of ice a couple of times a winter.

Katira
West Kingdom
Principality of the Mists


Date: Mon, 7 Jan 2008 12:50:10 -0600 (CST)
From: jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Hard to Get Ingedients
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>

I've not grown them yet, but Richter's herbs and Nichols Garden Nursery
both sell marshmallow seeds.
-- 
-- Jenne Heise / Jadwiga Zajaczkowa


Date: Thu, 16 Sep 2010 13:46:05 -0400
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Marsh mallow, honey, butter

And when doing the butter search I also came across this recipe or  
remedie--

Against grauell or any other viscous matter ingendred in the reynes.
TAke of marshe Mallow rootes foure ounces, of Butter one ounce and a  
halfe, of hony thr?e ounces, of raine water as much as sufficeth,  
braye the rootes, and putting euerye thing into a possenet, boyle them  
vntill the rootes be well sodden, and being taken from the fire,  
straine it through a linnen cloth, or searce, and cause the sicke  
person to drinke sixe ounces thereof fasting, let him vse this  
certaine dayes, and you shall s?e a verie happie successe.

A verye excellent and profitable booke conteining sixe hundred foure  
score and odde experienced medicines apperteyning unto phisick and  
surgerie, long tyme practysed of the expert and Reuerend Mayster  
Alexis, which he termeth the fourth and finall booke of his  
secretes ... Translated out of Italian into Englishe by Richard  
Androse. 1569. (Or Alessio. Fourth volume 1569.)

Johnnae

<the end>
Edited by Mark S. Harris	marshmallows-msg	Page 10 of 10