Ditch the Easter Eggs

No matter how tasty, the fact remains that chocolate is an unsightly shade of brown, highly calorific and very messy. Not the ideal gift. Call me unseasonal, but I’m voting for a new type of sweet treat to spread joy amongst your nearest and dearest this Easter. One that’s prettier, lighter and conveniently happens to come in a range of pastel shades. Marshmallows.

Now before you start conjuring up horrendous images of American teens roasting pink, lifeless goo over a campfire, just wait. The marshmallows in question are of the artisan variety, handmade by two ladies determined to provide city dwellers with a very London take on the snack.

Entrepreneurs Smart & Simms are a chocolatier and a drinks industry exec who met in a west London dive bar over a shared love of the same cocktail. They soon discovered an equally shared vision for the future of the humble marshmallow in the city of London and got to work founding gourmet partnership The Marshmallowists.

Flavours include Strawberry & Basil, Gin & Blueberry and Pear & Elderflower, all flavoured only with natural fresh fruit and essential oils. Rather impressively, this means they contain far fewer calories than your average cupcake, so make a much kinder gift all round and a rather smart alternative to an Easter egg.

So what flavours would the makers recommend? Smart & Simms tell me that preferences change with the season, but Raspberry & Champagne and Passion Fruit & Ginger are always in high demand.

Easter Sunday is approaching rapidly, so hurry along to The Marshmallowists pop-up on Portobello Road this (and every) Saturday from 10am-4pm, outside the Portobello Star pub. The ladies and their wares can also be found at Duke of York Square Market in SW3. The marshmallows come in boxes of eight and are priced at £8 per box so make a lovely and inexpensive gift.

Easter eggs aren’t sounding so clever now, are they?

Buy your marshmallows between 10am-4pm every Saturday at:

The Marshmallowists
171 Portobello Road
Notting HIll
W11 2DY

Follow the ladies on Twitter @marshmallowists or order at themarshmallowists.co.uk