Vegetarians in Paradise
Ask Aunt Nettie


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Editors' Note: Information received by Vegetarians in Paradise since this story was written in 1999 confirms that Emes Kosher-Gel is not a vegetarian product. For more details see our story at https://www.vegparadise.com/news56.html

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We're delighted to share our Aunt Nettie with you. She's agreed to answer any questions you might ask about food, its preparation, and even clean-up tips. But we have to prepare you. She just might want to come right over to your house and help you fix dinner.

To send any questions to Ask Aunt Nettie, .


Jansie has posed a challenge that sent Aunt Nettie scurrying for answers. Jansie sent an e-mail asking if vegan marshmallows are available. Here's Aunt Nettie's reply:



Dear Jansie,

Apparently there was a company called Emes that was the only manufacturer of vegan marshmallows, but they jes up 'n' quit makin' 'em. Imagine that! So, Jansie, the next best thing I kin recommend is to make 'em yerself. Here's Andrea's recipe that jest might do the trick. On the other hand, some o' the ingredients jes might give yer head a problem. Fer instance, findin' the Emes Kosher Gelatin, er usin' white sugar.

Andi's Vegan Marshmallows (from Andrea on VegList Digest)

2 1/2 T. vegetable gelatin (Emes Kosher Gel)
1 1/2 C. (355 ml) sugar
1 C. (237 ml) light corn syrup
1/2 C. (118 ml) cold water
1/2 C. (118 ml) water at room temperature
1/4 t. salt
2 T. vanilla extract (or flavoring of your choice)
Cornstarch for dusting
  1. Combine Gel and 1/2 C. (118 ml) COLD water in the bowl of a mixer with a whisk attachment. Let stand for 1/2 hour.
  2. Mix the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 C. (118 ml) water in a saucepan. Stir it over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and a syrup has formed.
  3. Cook it until firmball stage (244 degrees Fahrenheit about 120 C. on a candy thermometer.) Remove pan from heat, and slowly and carefully pour the syrup into the gelatin/water mixture in your mixer. Beat the mixture at high speed until thick, white, and tripled in size, approximately 15 minutes. (If you stop before this time, you will have marshmallow creme which you can store in a jar and use like the commercial stuff.) Add the vanilla and beat just long enough to incorporate it.
  4. Dust an 8" x 12" (20 cm x 30 cm) glass baking pan with cornstarch. Pour mixture into pan, and dust the top with more cornstarch. Wet your hands and pat the mixture to smooth out the top. Dust again.
  5. Let stand overnight to dry out, uncovered. Next morning turn the "marshmallow cake" out onto a board, and cut in into small pieces with a dry, HOT knife. Dust again. Makes about 45 marshmallows.

If You Haven't Met Aunt Nettie. . .


Our Aunt Nettie has a head like a hard disk. It's filled with megabytes of information about food and cooking. And she's just itchin' to share her learnin' with city folk who live in mortal fear of the stovetop.

Aunt Nettie grew up on the farm. She did not eat out of a can or reach into the freezer. There was no microwave to pop her food into. Everything she made was from scratch. All the food she ate was natural, without pesticides. It was grown right there on the family farm, and she had to cook to survive. At eighty-three years young she still leaps and bounds around the kitchen and can shake, rattle, and roll those pots and pans with the best of them.

Nowadays, Aunt Nettie just shakes her head and complains, "Nobody cooks anymore. They have no idea about puttin' a meal together." She's on a mission. She wants to help those younguns eat better so they can grow up healthy like her own eight kids.



Click here for past Ask Aunt Nettie Columns



Vegetarians in Paradise