Marsh Madness

As Jenny already explained, cooking and baking have long been creative outlets for both of us, but they have become especially meaningful during this period of extended unemployment. When we pour our time and energy into a batch of persnickety cookies or an obscene amount of pickled jalapeno peppers, we can step back to check out our results and declare, “We kicked these cookies’ asses,” or, “My throat is still burning, but these peppers are a-m-a-z-i-n-g!” We delight in these culinary accomplishments—whether they are simply delicious or delicious simply, or even first-time failures yielding useful lessons for future endeavors.

It’s the perfect time of the year to use holiday gifts as an excuse for cooking and baking everything that strikes our fancy. I am already looking forward to my next project day with Jenny, and I am sure we will have to deal with our usual problem: not enough hours in the day to make all the things we would like. 

Last week was a busy one. In addition to our pickling project, we had a large marshmallow project to tackle for a baby shower. Jenny has become a bit of a marshmallow-making expert since her first experiments with them last winter. I had committed myself (and Jenny!) to making enough marshmallows to bag up and give to fifty baby shower attendees as favors. The marshmallows were to accompany packets of hot cocoa, so they didn’t constitute the entire favor, but there were still a lot of marshmallows needed.  Jenny showed up at my house with her trusty saucier pan, some extra casserole pans, and an impressively large bottle of red food coloring. We made four pans of speckled vanilla bean marshmallows and three pans of swirled red and white peppermint marshmallows.  Jenny ended up doing most of the work on these marshmallows because she was in the zone and I had some family drop by for lunch.

Now they have to set up overnight

I owe her big time, but look how cute they turned out! They taste even better than they look.

Still life with vanilla bean marshmallows

Peppermint swirls

The Final product

- Jenn