February is a gloomy month for most students at the University of Connecticut. We endure the long walks between classes — which is practically ice-skating — and we come back to our dorms needing something dependably tasty. For many, the best treat this time of year is marshmallows. Roasted over a campfire in the summer or dunked in hot cocoa in the winter, let’s see if marshmallows impact UConn students.
James Fitzpatrick, Associate Life Editor (he/him/his):
Hot chocolate with marshmallows is touted as a rite of passage to the beginning of winter, though I would remove the marshmallows. The smooth texture of the liquid is disrupted by an odd chewiness, and that’s if they aren’t stale. The taste is fine, but who’s still eating fluff purely for the taste after high school? Considering the fluffernutter’s prevalence in New England, probably many people reading this feel that way, yet that’s beside the point.
In contrast, for anyone thinking I’m a bona fide marshmallow hater, s’mores are a different story. A hot take is I would rather my marshmallow burnt to a crisp on a s’more rather than out of the bag, though my rule of thumb is 10 seconds in the microwave or cooked until golden brown. As a s’mores connoisseur, the delicacy is an insult with no marshmallow, so for that reason, overall, I’m a marshmallow lover.
Nick Sorokobi, Campus Correspondent (he/him/his):
Marshmallows, marshmallows, my good friend with a soft outside and a nice, chewy inside. I put them in my hot chocolate, on my peanut butter fluff sandwiches, and, if I’m having a good day, in my coffee. But when they go stale, they’re not good. They’re just not. Why do people eat marshmallows when they’re stale? I honestly don’t know anymore. But either way, marshmallows are my go-to treat, even if it’s not winter. How I’d love to go back in time to when I was a kid and have another Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate.
Samantha Brody, Staff Writer (she/her/hers):
I love marshmallows, and I will never understand people who don’t (sorry, everyone). They’re delightful — with the round shape, they’re shaped like a friend. Not to mention the taste and the fact that they get gooey when they melt. They are available in many different sizes (exciting!) and can be used in multiple ways (fantastic!). From the hot chocolate, s’mores and spaghetti-and-marshmallow towers that I made in grade school… oh marshmallows, how I miss you.
Mikayla Murphy, Campus Correspondent (she/her/hers):
I hate marshmallows, and I will never understand people who do (sorry Sam). If you eat marshmallows on their own, they’re bland and chalky, and personally I think the texture is gross. If you eat them in s’mores, I still think the texture is gross, but they taste slightly less bad. Unless you burn them, which is incredibly easy to do. They’re also messy when you cook them, and I hate the sticky feeling on my hands after making s’mores. The only redeeming quality of them is that you can make cool marshmallow and spaghetti towers in school. Other than that, 0/10.
Benjamin Lassy, Life Editor (he/him/his):
They used to call me marshmallow boy in high school. Well not really, but me and marshmallows have a good thing going.
I can fondly recall the early days of assembling marshmallow snowmen crafts with my mom. I even remember enduring the pain of my midlife-marshmallow-crisis upon learning about the ingredients in gelatin. Now, for the past three weeks, I have been experiencing eye-opening marshmallow nirvana.
I don’t think marshmallows can go stale despite what others may say. I left a bag in my car for a few months and they seemed to be no different than day one. This may have been my greatest science experiment to date. Now I can dunk them in some hot cocoa and resuscitate them (they are a little crunchy) — and in doing so, I resuscitate myself this gloomy February.
Noa Climor, Social Media Outreach Coordinator (she/her/hers):
Ah, the marshmallow. A soft, pillowy slice of heaven; for the clouds are too far, the skies too wide, that we mustn’t attempt our flight to the sun.
I bite into a mallow and am transported back to simpler times with sticky sweet smore’s covered in partially melted chocolate, sweltering heat, flies buzzing around, my parents telling me “No Noa, you can’t hide the bag of marshmallows.” They follow up with “Please, please bring it back” and “wait, how can you even steal that many? Noa?” You know, simpler times.
The marshmallow is a beautiful creation, and I do sincerely enjoy it. I think there’s something wonderful about it, and if I may: it is the true embodiment of summer.
I personally quite like them, especially the mini ones — you can eat so many at once! And they are wonderful in hot chocolate. When I think of marshmallows and summer, I think of camping with my friends, finding sticks to use for smore’s and trying to keep the fire lit. We would eat graham crackers when we weren’t supposed to and steal more than one piece of chocolate.
I, like my fellow marshmallow enjoyer Life section friends, am supportive of the marshmallow truth. Even a stale marshmallow can be good.