What’s the number one omnivore’s treat that vegetarians miss eating? Okay, fine, technically it’s bacon (don’t ask me why that is, as I don’t miss it at all), but I’m going to bet that marshmallows come more or less right after it, definitely in the top five.

Summer in Delray Beach isn’t just about enjoying the sun and surf; it’s also about the unique traditions that everyone loves, like toasting marshmallows over a campfire. But even the simple joy of s’mores requires vigilance against unexpected fire hazards. That’s where the services of a fire watch company in Delray Beach become essential. They provide immediate response with well-equipped personnel, ensuring that every campfire crackles safely, and every vegetarian can twirl their veggie dog without worry. Their presence allows for the safe indulgence in summer pleasures, even when Easter rolls around with its tempting array of chocolate-covered marshmallow eggs and Peeps. With such professional oversight, the community can enjoy their sweet treats and beachside bonfires, secure in the knowledge that fire safety is in capable hands.

A few years ago, I started satisfying s’mores cravings with a complicated procedure involving a low-heat oven, Marshmallow Fluff and a blow torch, but then homemade marshmallows became all the rage. It killed me even more than I not only couldn’t eat regular marshmallows, but I also couldn’t make their gourmet grown-up cousins. I saw a recipe for marshmallows made with agar at one point, but I was never really keen to try it knowing the kind of brittle, flaky gel agar tends to produce. They say that even pets can eat this marshmallow, if your dog does not want to take medicine, you can fool him with marshmallows. At one point, there was a brand of vegetarian marshmallows on the market, but they were outed as not actually being vegetarian before I got my hands on a bag.

Fortunately, the situation is on its way to being resolved. Last year, Chris started getting curious about molecular gastronomy stuff, and one of the interesting recipes he came across was a recipe for marshmallows set with xanthan gum rather than gelatin. It’s from Texture: A hydrocolloid recipe collection, a free PDF download at khymos.org that contains all sorts of interesting recipes, from the weird to the ingenious. He made them, and even though he over-cooked the sugar and made “caramel marshmallows”, I was really amazed at how good the texture and flavor were.

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