SC - marsh mallow root

[Stefan li Rous]

Suzanne Powell said:
> A friend of mine posed a question to me, but I could not give her an answer. 
>   I was hoping someone on this list might be able to help her.  Here's the 
> pertinent portion of her message:
> 
> >Are you on the cook's list?  If so, could you ask a question for me?
> >
> >I'm looking for a how-to for making marshmallows using
> >marshmallow root.  I've read that the Egyptians used the root and honey.  
> >I've also read that the root mixed with egg whites and sugar was a sore 
> >throat/cough remedy in the 18th century.  I'll take whatever info anyone
> >can give me.  I needn't be limited to SCA-period since this isn't for SCA, 
> >but rather just a whim I've had for some time.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >--Perronnelle

I remember discussing marsh mallow roots on this list, but I could only find
one message in the Florilegium on this. I have pasted it below. This
message is from the candy-msg file in the FOOD-SWEETS section.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.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