By Ana Marie Aguas, Caity Heim, Jake Ferguson and Sara Ortega
Last week, we were lucky enough to sample handcrafted marshmallows from Lodi’s The Rustic Puff. It might be hard to imagine a marshmallow as anything else but the rubbery white squares you find at the grocery store, but these marshmallows just might amaze you. Believe it or not, marshmallows with flavors such as Salted Margarita, Sea Salt Caramel and Chocolate Stout exist—and we think they’re fantastic.
Jennifer and Heather, creators of The Rustic Puff, love what they do, although Jennifer actually started as a party planner. When one of her clients requested artisan marshmallow party favors for an event, Jennifer whipped up a batch of her own. Little did she know this would be one of many batches to come!
When developing their marshmallow recipes, The Rustic Puff prides itself on sourcing local ingredients when possible. In the Root Beer Float marshmallow, Jennifer uses locally brewed root beer combined with vanilla extract for a dessert puff with truly authentic flavors.
Lately, The Rustic Puff’s popularity has grown, with an appearance on Good Day Sacramento and participation in the Williams-Sonoma Artisan Market earlier this month. They will also be joining other local up-and-coming artisan vendors at the Sonoma County Shoppers Boutique Expo on June 23rd.
Want to try one of these delicious gourmet creations? Order the puffs online to find out why they’re making such a name for themselves!
Some of the SacFoodies’ Favorite Puffs:
Caity:
Salted Margarita Puff: When Heather from The Rustic Puff came to visit our office I was so overwhelmed by the variety of flavors to sample that I didn’t know where to start! She began to describe the puffs one-by-one as she took them out of their box and about half way through, one flavor caught my attention: Salted Margarita. This delicious marshmallow, although tiny, packed a punch of flavor. Made with real, fresh squeezed lime juice, top shelf tequila and an added hint of salt, this puff had the flavor of my favorite pie, key lime. I had no idea a marshmallow could taste so amazing. The perfect combination of sweet and sour was just right for that hot summer afternoon!
Ana Marie:
Creamsicle Puff: When Heather walked into our office armed with a box of handcrafted gourmet marshmallows, I knew it was going to be an amazing day! As she began to introduce each flavor, I quickly jumped at the chance to sample the Creamsicle Puff – a bite-sized taste of heaven in the form of a creamy Popsicle-flavored marshmallow. I was thoroughly impressed and pleasantly surprised by the taste. The texture was perfectly smooth and creamy, and the flavor was beyond anything you’d expect from a marshmallow. The first bite was like tasting a cold Popsicle on a hot day – refreshing and very satisfying. Made with pure orange extract and classic bourbon vanilla with a dash of orange zest, the Creamsicle Puff made for the ultimate sugary snack for a hot summer workday.
Tiramisu Puff: This marshmallow-version of tiramisu is a dream come true. If you think you like tiramisu, you’re going to love the amazing combination of a soft marshmallow texture and the authentic Italian flavor of tiramisu. With tiny chunks of tiramisu and the bursting flavor of espresso and lady fingers, the Tiramisu Puff made for the perfect dessert. Forewarning: once you try one, you won’t be able to stop!
Jake:
Chocolate Stout Puff: I made it a point to try nearly all of the flavors Heather brought to our office and the one that stood out most to me was the Chocolate Stout. This delicious fluffy marshmallow had the familiar texture of a marshmallow with the flavor of a delicious hoppy beer, which was also locally sourced!
Additional standouts included: Strawberry Chocolate Malt, Espresso Sprinkle, Strawberries and Champagne, Neapolitan, Cookies n’ Cream, Salted Pretzel and Strawberry Fields.
The Rustic Puff
Tel: (888)290-4227
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