When I was a kid, I thought marshmallows were the perfect food.
After all, they were cute, sweet, squishable, meltable and fat-free. What more could a gal want?
(OK, the fact they were still caloric obviously escaped my reasoning back then.)
Now, the inventive ones by Have it Sweet have me singing the virtues of marshmallows all over again.
Made by a husband and wife duo in Los Angeles, this small confectionary company turns out fresh, delightful marshmallows in mind-boggling flavors. Think bubblegum, cinnamon sugar. apple pie, lemon swirl, and double cocoa swirl.
Produced in small batches to order, the marshmallows are made of all natural ingredients, including organic and sustainable ones when available. They get their hues from food-based, organic colorings.
Recently, I had a chance to try some samples.
The strawberry ones are amazing. Close your eyes, pop one in your mouth and imagine you’re tasting a strawberry milkshake.
The marzipan swirl ones have the full-on taste of almond paste, but with an airy cloud-like texture.
And the chocolate hazelnut swirl ones boast a pretty, variegated look and a sweet, chocolate-y taste.
A package of 16 marshmallows is $10.
Have it Sweet also makes dastardly good caramels in half-pound, long, slender bricks for $12 to $14, depending upon the variety.
I tried the “Drunken Pecan Turtle” ($14), a layer of bourbon caramel over fleur de sel caramel and topped with Belgian dark chocolate caramel. It’s smooth, creamy and just sticky enough. The bourbon is fairly muted, but the touch of sea salt makes it hit all the high notes.