As you know, Sweet-Potato-Casserole-with-Marshmallows Day fast approaches. It’s also known as Thanksgiving.
Many holiday tables–OK, most holiday tables–across the nation will be resplendent with a juicy turkey, cranberry relish, mashed potatoes and the side dish that could double as dessert any of the other 364 days of the year.
To which many of you respond: So what’s your point?
The point is, there is a case to be made for sweet potatoes without marshmallows. Some of us think they’re already sweet enough. As in, sweet potatoes.
But that marshmallow topping has somehow become a permanent holiday fixture, even though the dish is served before–way before–a pumpkin pie ever shows up.
“It’s not dessert–it’s a vegetable. You’ve got to be very clear on that,” cautioned Sylvia Lovegren, author of “Fashionable Food: Seven Decades of Food Fads.” (She was laughing when she said that.)
Lovegren also said she doesn’t like them so sweet. Curiously, many people we talked to felt the same way.
“It’s funny how everyone seems to have it on their Thanksgiving table,” observed executive chef Heather Terhune of Atwood Cafe and South Water Kitchen. “Even if they don’t eat it.”
Even Sue Johnson-Langdon, executive director of the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission–her state is the leading grower of sweet potatoes in the U.S. with 40 percent of the supply–admitted, a bit reluctantly, that she wasn’t too keen on the supersweet casserole either.
“My tastes have gone more toward the savory than the sweet,” Johnson-Langdon said. “I really prefer them with a little cayenne, a little fruit juice in them, or with rosemary and garlic.”
Join the club.
Majority rules
There are, of course, fierce defenders of the marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole. The group includes every member of my family and most of my friends. Not to mention every member of your family and most of your friends. And, quite possibly, you.
It appears every year on the Thanksgiving table, and every year, there’s a scoop of it on my plate.
Hey, I never said it didn’t taste good. Some of us would just prefer that it intermingle with the dessert tray than infiltrate the harvest feast.
Now don’t get defensive, you sweet-potato-marshfellows. You’re the ones with the numbers on your side.
Although there is no firm statistic on just how many marshmallow-topped sweet potato casseroles are prepared each Thanksgiving, Kraft and Doumak, Inc., report that sales of Jet-Puffed and Campfire marshmallows, respectively, spike in November and December. And Johnson-Langdon said that sweet potato sales spike at Thanksgiving. Given this circumstantial evidence, we can’t prove that all those marshmallows are canoodling with all those sweet potatoes in a 350-degree oven. But if 43 million American households are enjoying a turkey dinner on Thursday (according to the National Turkey Foundation), I’m guessing that 42.9 million sweet potato casseroles topped with marshmallows are holding court next to those turkeys.
Whether you love it, loathe it or just prefer it for dessert, you can thank Ida C. Bailey Allen for marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole, said food historian and cookbook author Jean Anderson.
While researching “The American Century Cookbook,” Anderson scoured all the early 20th Century cookbooks she could find for that recipe. The earliest appeared in Allen’s 1928 cookbook, “Vital Vegetables.”
Allen, a leading culinary figure from the 1920s through the early ’50s, wrote a syndicated newspaper column, more than 30 cookbooks and–this is key, Anderson said–was a spokeswoman for many major food companies.
“She was not only a shill for Procter & Gamble, but also for other food companies,” she said.
“I feel certain, although cannot prove, that Allen got the marshmallow topping idea from a food company ad–probably Campfire marshmallows–that appeared in one or more of the popular women’s magazines of the day,” she added.
But why did this dish, as opposed to the thousands of others foisted upon an unsuspecting public by food companies, become an iconic part of the country’s most celebrated food day?
Anderson has her theories. “There has to be some sort of gimmick,” she said. “Marshmallows melting on top of sweet potatoes, and bubbling . . . I just think it was gimmicky enough. The other thing about this sweet potato casserole is that it lends itself to improv. Some people put pineapples in it, some people put mashed bananas in it–I don’t think you can ruin it.” She stopped to laugh. “It’s really simple [to make] and it’s very flavorful. And the kids, I’m sure, love it.”
Sweet memories
You also can’t discount the power of nostalgia. Which is why chefs who might not serve marshmallow-topped casseroles on their upscale restaurant menus still know to offer a reasonable facsimile.
Sarah Stegner, co-chef and co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe in Northbrook, serves her family a sweet potato puree sweetened with orange juice and topped with mascarpone. It’s more savory than sweet but the idea is there. So is the sweetness . . . from the sweet potatoes.
“It has those memories–there’s not that much food that does that,” Stegner said. “The components that your mom served or your grandmother served at Thanksgiving are definitely etched in people’s brains.”
Giving in to marshmallow lovers
Catherine Cassidy, editor-in-chief of Taste of Home magazine and the new “Taste of Home Cookbook,” agreed.
“You don’t really need the marshmallows with sweet potatoes. They’re so sweet as it is–really, the marshmallows are kind of there for show,” Cassidy said. “[But] every Thanksgiving, I make the recipe exactly the way my grandmother made it. When I make it, it reminds me of her.”
As for chefs like Terhune, who makes a holiday dinner at home every year for friends, marshmallows are on the shopping list. Like it or not.
“If there’s something people want at Thanksgiving, that’s it,” Terhune said, cheerful in the face of defeat. “I always make it. Even if I wouldn’t want it.”
Lovegren, on the other hand, has courageously attempted to conquer that casserole.
And that casserole always wins.
“Every year I try to do something different–with onions, with cinnamon, with Middle Eastern flavorings,” she said. “It never works. Nobody ever likes them.”
Well, look on the bright side. Lovegren’s “Fashionable Food” documented a different sweet potato recipe that was a big hit in the 1930s:
Sweet Potato-Marshmallow Surprises had a pastry made of mashed sweet potatoes and butter encasing jumbo marshmallows. Each “Surprise” was then rolled in crushed Post Toasties and baked.
Suddenly, marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole doesn’t sound like such a bad alternative.
Sweet potato creme caramel with fluffy marshmallow topping
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cooling/chilling time: 4 hours
Yield: 12 servings
Sweet potatoes with a make-your-own-marshmallow topping–for dessert: What a concept! This recipe, adapted from Heather Terhune, executive chef of Atwood Cafe and South Water Kitchen, makes individual desserts. It’s a bit labor-intensive, but you can make the creme caramel up to 2 days ahead and store it in the fridge. For an easier topping, substitute jarred marshmallow cream or whipped cream.
Creme caramel:
2 sweet potatoes, pierced several times with a fork
2 3/4cups sugar
3/4 cup water
6 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 container (1 pint) whipping cream
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
Marshmallow topping:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large egg whites
1/3 cup water
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roast the sweet potatoes on a foil-covered rack until soft, 45 minutes-1 hour. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes. Peel potatoes; transfer to a medium bowl. Mash or rice until smooth; set aside.
2. Lower temperature to 325 degrees. Combine 2 cups of the sugar and 3/4 cup water in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat; cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Increase heat to medium-high; boil, without stirring, until syrup turns deep amber, occasionally brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan, about 10 minutes. Working quickly, spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons of the caramel into each of twelve 3/4-cup custard cups or souffle dishes, tilting cups to cover bottoms with caramel; cool.
3. Whisk the mashed sweet potatoes, the remaining 3/4 cup of the sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt in a large bowl to blend well; set aside. Heat the cream and orange zest to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan; gradually whisk the cream into the sweet potato-egg mixture. Strain mixture into a 2-quart measuring cup or bowl; discard solids in strainer.
4. Divide mixture among the custard cups. Place 6 of the custard cups in each of 2 deep baking pans; add enough hot water to baking pans to come halfway up the sides of cups. Bake until sides are set but centers still move slightly when cups are shaken, about 45 minutes. Remove cups from water; cool about 40 minutes. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours and up to 2 days.
5. For marshmallow topping, whisk the sugar, egg whites, water, corn syrup and cream of tartar in large metal bowl to blend; set bowl over saucepan of barely simmering water (do not allow bottom of bowl to touch simmering water). Beat mixture with a handheld electric mixer on medium speed until mixture resembles soft marshmallow fluff, about 4 minutes; increase mixer speed to high. Beat until mixture is very thick, about 3 minutes longer. Remove bowl from over simmering water. Stir in the vanilla, beating until marshmallow is completely cool, about 5 minutes longer.
6. Run a small sharp knife around edges of cups to loosen creme caramel; turn out onto plates. Serve with marshmallow topping.
Nutrition information per serving:
482 calories, 31% of calories from fat, 17 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 160 mg cholesterol, 79 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 213 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Old-fashioned sweet potato casserole
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
OK, already, here’s the one you want! This recipe, adapted from “The Taste of Home Cookbook,” also includes a marshmallow-less, crunchy-topped alternative (see note).
5 large sweet potatoes, peeled, cubed
1 cup milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 stick (14 cup) butter, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons each: ground cinnamon, vanilla
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
18 large marshmallows
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cover sweet potatoes with water in a large saucepan; heat to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to a simmer; cover. Cook until tender, 15-20 minutes; drain.
2. Transfer sweet potatoes to a large bowl; mash or press through a ricer. Add the milk, egg, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, allspice, salt and nutmeg; beat with a mixer on low speed until smooth. Transfer mixture to a greased, shallow 21/2-quart baking dish. Bake, until heated through, about 40-45 minutes.
3. Top with marshmallows; bake until marshmallows begin to puff and brown, about 10 minutes.
Note: For a crunchy-topped sweet potato casserole, omit marshmallows and reduce brown sugar in sweet potato mixture to 1/4 cup. Before baking, combine 3/4 cup each flour, packed brown sugar and chopped pecans, and 1/2 cup melted butter in a small bowl; sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and topping has browned, 50-55 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
227 calories, 22% of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 42 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 213 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Sweet potato puree with mascarpone and orange
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 5 servings
This luscious recipe is adapted from Sarah Stegner, co-chef and co-owner of Prairie Grass Cafe. You can cook the sweet potatoes the night before, then assemble the dish on Thursday. This puree is thinner than mashed potatoes. She suggests baking and serving it in individual dishes, but you can cook it in one large baking dish for 40 minutes, if you like, then transfer to individual serving bowls.
2 large or 3 medium sweet potatoes, pierced several times with a fork
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
8 ounces mascarpone
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white or black pepper
Grated zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon roughly chopped chervil or parsley, optional
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes on a foil-covered rack until fork-tender, about 1 hour. Set aside to cool, about 20 minutes.
2. Raise oven to 375 degrees. Halve the sweet potatoes; scoop out flesh into a food processor or blender. Add orange juice, half of the mascarpone and the nutmeg; puree just until mixed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Fill five buttered, 6-ounce souffle dishes with the sweet potato mixture; bake 15 minutes. Remove dishes from oven; heat broiler. Put dollops of the remaining mascarpone on top of each potato dish; place under broiler just until the mascarpone begins to brown, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle orange zest over each dish; top with chervil.
Nutrition information per serving:
274 calories, 67% of calories from fat, 21 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrates, 5 g protein, 283 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Twice-baked sweet potato halves with shallots, corn kernels and herbs
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This brightly flavored–and savory!–side, adapted from “The Balanced Plate: More than 150 Flavorful Recipes That Nourish Body, Mind and Soul,” by Renee Loux, uses the sweet potato shells for lovely individual servings. You can roast the potatoes the night before and finish on Thanksgiving. This recipe is easy to double.
2 sweet potatoes, pierced several times with a fork
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger root
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh or 1 teaspoon dried, each: thyme, marjoram
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 cups frozen corn
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes on a foil-covered rack until fork-tender, about 1 hour; set aside to cool.
2. Raise oven to 400 degrees. Halve sweet potatoes lengthwise; scoop out the flesh into a bowl, leaving enough shell to maintain structure. Add the oil, garlic, ginger, thyme and marjoram to the potatoes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in shallots and corn. Stuff mixture into the sweet potato shells; bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
251 calories, 37% of calories from fat, 11 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 323 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
– – –
SWEET POTATO
Nutrition information per 1/2 sweet potato:
52 calories
0 g fat
12 g carbohydrates
1 g protein
20 mg sodium
4 g fiber
Good source of … vitamins A, B6 and C, potassium
MARSHMALLOW
Nutrition information per 1 marshmallow:
23 calories
0 g fat
6 g carbohydrates
0.25 g protein
7 mg sodium
0 g fiber
Good source of … sugar
Source: USDA Nutrition Facts
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Where it all started
This recipe, from Ida C. Bailey Allen, comes from Jean Anderson’s “The American Century Cookbook: The Most Popular Recipes of the 20th Century.” Anderson’s exhaustive research led her to Bailey’s 1928 cookbook, “Vital Vegetables,” and she believes this represents the first published appearance of marshmallow-topped sweet potato casserole. Ironically, it is not nearly as sweet as some of the more current recipes.
Browned sweet potatoes with marshmallows
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
3 cups mashed sweet potato
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg, well beaten
12 marshmallows
Butter a baking dish. Beat together potato, butter, salt, sugar and egg, pile in a dish, making the top rather rough; cover with the marshmallows and “dots” of butter and cook in a moderate oven–350 degrees–till browned.
Nutrition information per serving:
224 calories, 19% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 43 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 385 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
