Fluff is pretty much just melted marshmallow, and it's a key ingredient in Fluffernutter sandwiches -- peanut butter and a layer of marshmallow on bread.
A state senator proposed limiting its availability in school lunchrooms to once a week, horrified at the prospect of it being a daily staple of kids' diets. Another lawmaker jumped to Fluff's defense, nominating the Fluffernutter as the official state sandwich.
A small company called Durkee-Mower, makes Fluff and nothing but Fluff, this year they will sell 7 million pounds for the first time in its history.
Fluff was invented in the Somerville kitchen of Archibald Query, who sold it door-to-door just before World War I.
In 1920, two Infantry veterans of the war -- H. Allen Durkee and Fred L. Mower -- bought the recipe from Query for $500. With a barrel of sugar and a secondhand Ford, the pair began driving around looking for customers. Back then, a gallon of the stuff sold for about $1; these days, a 16-oz. jar goes for a little more than $2.
Fluff has always been just four ingredients: corn syrup, sugar, dried egg white and vanilla. The corn syrup and sugar are cooked and poured into 13 mixing bowls that stand 6 feet tall. One person measures the egg whites and vanilla for every batch by hand.
"I can't tell you how long we whip it for," Durkee said without smiling. "That's about the only part of the trade secret. You could almost invent it by accident."
While most other companies start with one product and then branch out, Durkee-Mower just makes Fluff. About as diverse as it has gotten is making different flavors, such as raspberry and strawberry.
The company says it can be used in fruit salads, cheesecakes, lemon meringue pies, fruit flavored shakes and dessert bars. Dollops of Fluff can go in hot chocolate or be used as the base for cake frosting. The Yummy Book, a Fluff cookbook, includes recipes for Sweet Potato Souffle, Never Fail Fudge and Popcorn Fluff Puffs.
More than 50 percent of the Fluff sold is in New England and upstate New York, said Durkee, who wouldn't disclose exact figures. However, as Northeasterners move west and south -- and supermarket chains merge -- Fluff has followed.
I saw Soledad O'Brien on CNN eating it with a spoon, on-air.
I must admit...I've only had it a few times...but a PBJF (Peanut Butter & Jelly W/ Fluff) is pretty mind blowing.
ReplyDeleteBut I totally think it should not just be limited to 1 day a week, but banned in schools. I just read some recent stats on the US...about 30% of the country is obese...not just a few pounds over...but HUGE. Where the hell do the think it starts?
I'm shocked Justin would take this stance. Whatever happened to personal responsibility? And parenting? Teach your kids to have a FlufferNutter once in a long while. Teach your kids discipline, don't enact rules to govern every aspect of their lives. Teach them how to be healthy, by example, and let them live.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you need to be a good parent...but kids are kids. If there's bad stuff to eat that tastes better than the healthy stuff...most of em will go for it. Schools across the nation are starting to take out soda vending machines. This is the same thing, just sugar in another form.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I have no faith in most parents, since a large percentage around here dont have a healthy lifestyle themselves.