Homemade Vanilla Bean Marshmallows

My friend Beth got a little outdoor fire pit for her back yard.  She lives in a beautiful house in Mar Vista, just west of us.  She and her husband have worked so hard renovating their home and installing beautiful drought tolerant landscaping.  They have awesome parties loaded with southern delicacies like sweet tea vodka and 8 hour-smoked, pork butt.  Everyone loves it there, it's just a nice place to be.

A few weeks ago Beth mentioned that she was going to throw herself a birthday party.  As usual, I was super excited.  We brainstormed a little and I said that I would make some homemade marshmallows to roast on her new fire pit at the party.  It made me think about camping trips when I was little and cold winter nights with my friends, circled around the flames.  Who knows, maybe I'd even bring some graham crackers and chocolate...

But then the news came that The Husband and I booked a gig that night and I was going to have to miss all the fun.  I was so bummed to miss the party but I figured I would make the marshmallows anyway.  I mean, I love this girl like a sister and if I can't be there at least my marshmallows can.

I used Martha Stewart's recipe and made the yummiest batch of 'shmallows I've ever tasted.  I toasted and ate like four of them before I had to force myself to walk away (for fear of passing out on the kitchen floor in a diabetic coma).  They had the yummiest consistency.  Not at all like the store bought kind.  The are more substantial and when toasted, they develop an almost creme brule type crust around the outside while turning to pudding inside.

Since I missed the party, I think I should make it up to myself by going 'camping' in my back yard more often.  Maybe I'll spend a little time outside around a flame (even if that flame is a brule torch).  Maybe I'll surround myself with friends and sing campfire songs (or because we're work-a-holics, the 'idea' of friends and our ipod doc).  Perhaps I'll sit under the stars and think about life (or maybe just the moon, because I live in LA and we never see the stars).  It's not perfect dream but it will do.

Happy Birthday Beth! I love you this much...