How to Roast Marshmallows like a Professional

Preparation:

Begin by building a fire with seasoned firewood. While it’s okay to add a bit of paper to get the fire going, do not continue to add this material once the fire has taken off. The reason is that bits of paper tend to fly up at random from a fire, and this could interfere with roasting marshmallows. The ideal fire will have some decent-sized flames, yet be small enough so that you can easily get within a few feet of it without feeling too hot. Choose a utensil for roasting your marshmallows carefully. You can either buy roasting tongs at a camping supply store, or use a metal coat hanger or tree branch. When using a tree branch, avoid any that have resin, as this could leak out while you are roasting and ruin the flavor of your marshmallow. Sterilize your roasting utensil by holding it inside a flame for ten to fifteen seconds. Place your marshmallow on the end of your roaster so that the tip of it is left exposed. If you’d like, you can place several marshmallows together on the same stick for even faster roasting.

Roasting the Marshmallows:

Now you’ll have to decide how you would like your marshmallows to be done. If you only want them lightly roasted, place them just above the fire so that they can cook very slowly. Be sure to turn them as you go so that they will cook evenly on all sides. If you want them to be gooey (and crunchy on the outside), place them directly in the center of a flame until they catch on fire, then blow out the flame and enjoy. Roasting marshmallows requires adult supervision so that small children do not become burned. You should also use caution when removing marshmallows from a roasting utensil, especially if it is metal, as it could be very hot. Always make sure to thoroughly extinguish your fire when you are done, and don’t forget to thank your host for allowing to visit and roast marshmallows.