Marsh mallow: 168 years ago

It is marshmallow peeps and bunnies season! But what exactly is in a marshmallow?  Marshmallows were historically made using the plant from which it gets its name, marsh mallow (Althaea officinalis).  Marsh mallow is a plant species in the mallow family (Malvaceae) found in marshes and wet areas native to parts of Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. The use of this plant to make marshmallows dates back to over 4,000 years ago in ancient Egypt!  Marsh mallows were also valued for medicinal properties. Marsh mallow roots were boiled with honey to make marshmallows.  It is said that in ancient Egypt, the consumption of marshmallows was only for royalty and the gods. The process of making marshmallows have changed quite a bit through time, and no longer contain sap from marsh mallow plants. Today, marshmallows consist of gelatin (thickening agent), sugar (most often from corn syrup), water, and corn starch. 
 
This marsh mallow specimen in the museum’s collection was collected on August 12, 1850 from a salt marsh on the Isle of Wight, England.