- [Narrator] It's Thanksgiving;

turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes,

but the one thing that has always stood out

is a bit of a head scratcher:

sweet potato casserole, mmm.

We're pretty sure sweet potatoes and marshmallows

weren't at the original Thanksgiving.

So what happened?

Sweet potatoes have been around forever.

And marshmallows, this sticky, gooey mess

actually comes from a plant

and has been around since ancient Egypt.

A delicacy only pharaohs could eat.

Okay, fast forward to the 20th century.

Marshmallows were a big deal,

expensive, and essentially the Cristal of sweet treats.

Not only that, but they were even hand made.

Marshmallows became a mainstay for highfalutin housewives.

See, back then, housewives would have to make whipped cream

or even meringue by hand,

but the marshmallows were a modern time saver.

The first recipe that paired sweet potatoes

and marshmallows appeared in 1918

in a trade journal, cleverly named Sweet Potatoes and Yams.

As marshmallows grew in popularity

and began being mass produced,

more and more recipes began implementing them

as an everyday ingredient.

Nowadays, marshmallows are generally

reserved for campfires and hot chocolate,

and this nontraditional/ traditional favorite.

Whether you like your sweet potatoes

a la marshmallow or plain,

happy Thanksgiving!

(mid-tempo relaxing music)