Instead of the Dishes » Homemaking, Mommyhood, There's a Word for That » There's a Word for That: Snack Time Edition

There's a Word for That: Snack Time Edition

June 2nd, 2010 | Add a Comment

Guess what Hibiscus plants and S’mores have in common?

No really, guess.

Marshmallows.

What? Oh, yes! Of course, I will explain, in 200 words or less. You see, in one of my recent posts, I misspelled the word marshmallow. After being corrected by my friend Janet, I went to fix it, and got to wondering why it’s spelled “mallow” instead of “mellow”.

Marsh Mallow, Rose Mallow - Latin: Hibiscus moscheutos | Photo credit: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

Although the legend varies, the rough basics of it is that there was a dessert made from the root of a marsh mallow plant that was fluffy, and that when the plant root was replaced by a man-made syrup as an ingredient, the dessert also morphed into today’s sugar-on-sugar puffy treat, the marshmallow. Another version of the story claims that the confection we know as a marshmallow resembles the flower of the marsh mallow plant.

The marsh mallow plant, by the way, is a member of the Hibiscus family. And we all know that marshmallows are members of the s’mores trifecta, along with graham and chocolate.