Fluff . It ’s sticky and gooey , yet soft and easy to spread . The perfect full complement to peanut butter and bread , it ’s a favourite snack across much of the United States — particularly in New England , where the word Fluffernutter is virtually synonymous with childhood . But Fluff is more than just marshmallow crème . It is a living relic of the early twentieth 100 , and it is in no danger of losing steam as its 100th natal day approaches . record on to learn more about Fluff — and the companionship that ’s been raise it since 1917 .
1. WORLD WAR I KILLED THE CREATOR’S DOOR-TO-DOOR BUSINESS.
Although marshmallow crème products have existed since at least the 1890s — one enterprising company even marketed it as awrinkle discussion — a Somerville , Massachusetts - base candymaker by the name ofArchibald Querycreated the version most citizenry love today . Query trade the odoriferous condiment , which he first whipped up in his kitchen in 1917 , doorway - to - threshold , until a sugar shortage during WWI put a muffler on his enterprise . With his business concern falter , Query decided to sell his formula to two stager , H. Allen Durkee and Fred Mower , for $ 500 . At the time , Fluff was deal for $ 1 a Imperial gallon . Today , you could get 16 oz . for $ 2 .
2. THE RECIPE USED TODAY IS THE SAME ONE DEVELOPED 99 YEARS AGO.
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Fluff has always been made from justfour ingredient : shekels , dried eggs Edward D. White , corn syrup and vanilla . ( Today , the manufacturer usesliquid sugarinstead of granulated , and vanillin , an contrived flavoring , or else of vanilla extract . ) Indian corn syrup and sugar are melted together , then poured into 6 - ft - tall mixture bowl , after which worker value the bollock Edward Douglas White Jr. and vanilla for each raft by hired man . The only part of the recipe that remain a secret is how long they lash the Fluff .
Fluff ’s packaging , design , mill , and output process have n’t change much since the 1950s , either . Much of the equipment used by the manufacturers is original , which the companyadmitscan make upkeep and upkeep difficult .
3. FLUFF HAS STAYED IN THE FAMILY.
Durkee and Mower set out raise and sell Fluff — which they first called Toot Sweet Marshmallow Fluff — in 1920 . In 1929 , they buy a manufactory in Lynn , Mass. , but had to move to a handsome building just five years afterward for accommodate their maturate business organisation . In the 1950s they moved for the final time into a manufacturing plant they plan expressly for the manufacturing of marshmallow crème , increasing the speed of productionfrom 80 jounce per hour to 125 jar per mo . They ’ve been there ever since .
H. Allen pass the reins onto his son Don , who then passed them to his boy Jon . Jon Durkeesays he hopes one solar day one of his children will take over for him .
4. DURKEE-MOWER MAKES FLUFF, AND ONLY FLUFF.
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Even as other food corporations continue to branch out ( or are absorbed by giant pudding stone ) , Durkee - Mower stands by their commitment to Fluff . Starting in 1929 , the company also soldSweeco , an instant hot drinking chocolate powder mixing , but they desert the product in 1962 and never ramify out again .
5. NEW ENGLANDERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR HALF OF THE WORLD’S FLUFF SALES.
While Fluff is marketed and soldaround the world — including in Japan , Canada , Israel , Russia , Germany , and many other parts of Europe — Fluff still is n’t useable everywhere in the United States , andmostof its sales take place in New England . Durkee - Mower handle to betray almost 7 million pounds of the sweet material a year ; 50 pct of those sales occur in New England and upstate New York .
6. THE FLUFFERNUTTER IS AS AMERICAN AS IT GETS.
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Paul Revere ’s capital - enceinte - great granddaughterEmma Curtis — who , along with her pal , sell a Fluff - like product they called Snowflake Marshmallow Crème — was reportedly the first to slap together two slices of bread with level of peanut butter and marshmallow between them . She published her recipe during World War I , calling her delicious ( and careful ) invention the " Liberty Sandwich . " An advert agency mint the term " Fluffernutter " for Durkee - Mower in the ' 60s . Legend mistakenly has it that Elvis Presley ’s preferred sandwich was a Fluffernutter fried with luck of butter . In fact , it was actuallya fry peanut butter and banana tree sandwich . But just because Fluffernutter has been slighted by the king does n’t intend it does n’t reign supreme , peculiarly inMassachusetts .
7. FLUFF HAS ITS OWN FESTIVAL.
The “ What the Fluff ? ” Fluff Festival just celebrated its tenth twelvemonth in Fluff ’s hometown of Somerville . It takes place every September , drawing more than 10,000 visitors each twelvemonth . Surprisingly , Durkee - Mower had nothing to do with the fete ’s formation — they’ve never even attended .
“ I think it ’s done very well , but we passably much just stay out of the way , ” Jon Durkee read in a 2014 interview forBostonmagazine . “ We donate ware , but we do n’t get involved other than that . One of these days we ’ll have to go down there , but we ’ll do it incognito . ”
The brainchild ofMimi Graney , the executive managing director of Union Square Main Streets , What the Fluff?includes cookery contests , eating contests , Fluff bowling , Fluff jousting , concerts , and play .
8. IT CAUSED A “KERFLUFFLE” IN THE MASSACHUSETTS LEGISLATURE.
In 2006 , State Senator Jarrett Barrios was dismay to learn his son ’s simple school cafeteria offer Fluffernutter sandwich as a menu choice . The politician announce his intention to add an amendment to a school nutrition bill , blackball Fluff from Massachusetts schools .
One state representative , Kathi - Anne Reinstein , decide to fight back , proposing that the snack be name Massachusetts ' prescribed state sandwich . " We spring up up on Fluff , " Reinstein declare , incriminate Barrios of " assault a local concern . "
The struggle — or " Fluffgate , " as Reinstein called it — tie up the legislature for a week . Barrioseventually indorse down , as did the pro - Fluff politician , allow for officials to return to slightly more pressing thing . Like , you know , the state budget .
9. IT’S BEEN TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
Sunita Williams , former commandant of the International Space Station , made certain a container of Fluff ( or three ) accompany her during her 322 - day journey . " We take thing to remind us of home , " she recount theBBCin 2013 . " I was sent marshmallow crème to make my puerility favorite ' Fluffernutter ' sandwiches on a tortilla with earthnut butter . " She express off her stash in a 2012 YouTube tour of the ISS :
