National Toasted Marshmallow Day

In the United States, August 30th is National Toasted Marshmallow Day.

The modern marshmallow is a candy or sweet made from sugar that has been spun until it has a spongy consistency, rather than the original type which was made from a plant - the marshmallow. After the sugar is spun, it is made into pieces, usually of a cylindrical nature, which are then coated in corn starch.

Toasted marshmallows, like s'mores, are a popular outdoors tradition. You don't toast the marshmallows by putting them in a toaster - that would not be a very good idea. Similarly, trying to toast them under a grill (another way of toasting bread) would likely produce more of a mess than would be liked. Instead, marshmallows are placed on the end of a stick and are then held over a campfire or other open flame. The exterior will caramelise, whilst the interior turns molten.

How much the marshmallow is toasted is a matter of personal preference. They might be lightly charred on the outside, or they can be set on fire to create a more burned finish. Once toasted, they can be used to make s'mores.