What foods do you make from Scratch?

[solanna]

I make a giant batch of vanilla extract every year on Valentine's Day a.k.a Valentine's Brew. It is almost magical. It brews for the entire year until I make the next batch. I use it for everything. Baking, cooking, marinades, put a tablespoon in a pan over low heat, and the whole house smells delicious!

[Isa]

Originally posted by ShawtyCat
Hey Isa,

Question. How do you make marshmallow? I think confec. sugar has to be an ingredient but can't think of what else might go into that.

Jodi

Sorry I didn't get to you sooner Jodi. Glad to see others were able to help you. If you still want my recipe let me know I'll translate it for you.

[Anneke]

i'm completely naive about this so please bear with me.

If you're going to make marshmallow at home, wouldn't you want to put some natural marshmallow flavour in there? I found the marshmallow herb in my herb book but I have no idea what it tastes like...

[monkeymay]

Anneke-
Marshmalllow herb dosen't taste like marshmallows.
Primarily the root is used for its expectorant qualities for lung ailments. It's especially good for asthma and helps remove mucus from the lungs. I have brewed it for tea and remember it to be rather funky and musty tasting, as most medicinal herbs are.
Marshmallow (althaea officinalis) is very high in Vitamin A, calcium, and zinc, unlike those lovely puffs I have with my cocoa!

[CompassRose]

The marshmallow herb would have been there not for the flavour, but for its sticky, glutinous qualities. (Which is why it's a great remedy for throat problems.) I think gelatin probably works better.

[kokopuffs]

It sounds to me as if the herb is both an EXPECTORANT (expelling phlegm) and a DEMULCENT (coating properties).

[Anneke]

Aha!

Thanks for the info!

Ok, here's one for you.

One of our local businesses is developing an international reputation for his roasted-marshmallow ice cream. The stuff is to die for. You can feel the warmth of the campfire when you taste it. He won't reveal his recipe but claims there are no marshmallows in it (duh!) and it's all natural.

Anyone willing to speculate? The key here is the ROASTED marshmallow flavour...

[Suzanne]

Let's see -- when you roast a marshmallow, you caramelize the sugar, but there's got to be more to it than just that. Part of the taste is bitter, so maybe he adds sugar caramelized to different degrees -- some golden, some almost burnt? And the cornstarch is also burnt or roasted. Gee, Anneke, think you could send me some so that I could analyze the flavor ??

[Athenaeus]

Isa-Kimmie could you guide us to this ice-cream, Anneke talks about- when we come to Montreal?????

[Anneke]

I'll ask them if they ship to Montreal... You've got to try this!!

[Isa]

Anneke is the flavour natural or artificial.


Vivian if it's here we'll find it.

[Pastachef]

The secret ingredient - ashes? Just kidding Does anyone know if there is a licorice flavor ice cream?

[Suzanne]

Oh, yes -- I've got a few different recipes. One calls for steeping actual licorice root, and the other for melting in some sort of candy -- but that one is from Australia, and I don't know if it's available here or what could be substituted. PM me if you want the actual recipes.

[kokopuffs]

Beware, licorice root's (or licorice stick's) latin name is something akin to GLYCERRISA, meaning "sweet stick". A decoction of the root tastes sweet ALTHOUGH NOT AT ALL LIKE TRADITIONAL LICORICE. Licorice root is a demulcent, meaning that the decoction coats the throat in a manner similar to syrup or liquified sugar.

Licorice flavor is obtained from any combination of STAR ANISE and/or FENNEL among, perhaps, a few other herbs and not from licorice root (or stick).

[Athenaeus]

GLYKORIZA

GLY-KO-RI-ZA