A normal person would, much in the style of Charles Emerson Winchester III, do one thing at a time, do it very well, and then move on to the next thing. My approach is somewhat more chaotic, and I have found myself with one Mother’s Day project on the go, one yet to be started (eep!), one baby sampler due early summer started, and one anniversary present due late June started. Everything is slowly getting done, bit by bit, but thanks to my own special brand of multitasking, nothing is really getting finished. Thank goodness for long weekends.
I did, however, manage to steal a bit of time to try my hand at homemade marshmallows. These are not vegan, alas, as my experiences with agar agar have been somewhat unpredictable and I actually wanted these to work; if anyone knows a good gelatin-to-agar agar equivalency rate or other vegan option, I’d be thrilled.
That said, they turned out perfectly! I used Alton Brown’s recipe (found here), although I used nearly 2 1/2 Tbsp of vanilla instead of the recommended 1 tsp to enhance the flavour. They do get a little sticky if left at room temperature, despite the powdered sugar/cornstarch coating, so I’ve been keeping them in the fridge.
Some of them have extra “skin tags” because I cut them once in the pan, then turned them out and re-cut on the bottom, and some of my cuts didn’t quite line up perfectly – but that’s purely cosmetic. I’ve never used a candy thermometer before or attempted anything quite like this, but if I can manage, anyone can. They are vanilla-y, soft, and smooth, and I can’t wait to make s’mores out of these babies!
Oh, yes: Happy Nabokov Day!
The Witty Child 