Why You Should Never Put Marshmallows On Sweet Potatoes
What if we told you that, this year, the most intense form of Thanksgiving drama won't come by way of your crazed uncle pushing his shaky political agenda on the entire family? But rather from a culinary imposter rooted deep within your very own Thanksgiving menu.
Yes, we're talking about the infamous sweet potato casserole, an arbitrary tradition that, over time, has deceptively positioned itself as an American classic, akin to apple pie. However, in my opinion, that couldn't be further from the truth. Here's an air-tight case for why marshmallows don't belong anywhere near a sweet potato.
1. It's a dated "tradition" without any significant cultural or family value
What you thought was a long-standing tradition inspired by deep-rooted American values is actually nothing more than a great marketing scheme inspired by good ol' capitalism. According to Saveur, the story goes like this: As marshmallows became trendy in the early 1900s, the company Angelus Marshmallows came up with the brilliant (albeit slightly sinister) scheme to position the product as the perfect way to "encourage home cooks to embrace the candy as an everyday ingredient." Think it's safe to say "mission accomplished." Feel played? You should.
2. It's just flat-out lazy
Remember, this whole marshmallows-atop-sweet-potatoes business came to life around the same time as things like gelatin salad and canned sauces became a thing. This new category of products was essentially created to save "housewives" both time and effort in the kitchen. As a result, marshmallows became the perfect substitute for more labor-intensive toppings like whipped cream and meringue.
3. It's basically a dessert disguised as a side dish
Here's a seemingly overlooked fun fact: Sweet potatoes are already sweet. In fact, they're just the right amount of sweet. Not only is nonsensically coating them with a blanket of marshmallows a disservice to an already great and healthy ingredient, but doing so essentially tips the scale from a side dish to a dessert.
4. The flavor just doesn't add up
The beauty of a proper Thanksgiving dinner plate truly only shines through when all of the various food piled high exists in equal harmony, and all of the various juices and flavors intersect at the point of precise deliciousness. No one in their right mind wants a puddle of gravy tainted with marshmallow goo. It's a complete waste of marshmallows that could otherwise be put to good use in the form of s'mores and hot cocoa.
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