So ubiquitous is the marshmallow in this traditional treat - a delightful combination of side dish and dessert - that it's easy to think that the marshmallow is another indigenous food present at that first Thanksgiving feast.

That would be a great excuse for the indulgence if it were true. Actually, marshmallows are plants which grow in salty marshes but are not native to this continent. Medicinal use of the gooey, sweet extract of the root of the marshmallow plant has been traced all the way back to ancient Egypt.

It was not until the early 1800s, however, that a fluffy marshmallow candy first appeared, not in Egypt (or America), but in France. A production method that allowed for easier molding of the egg-and-sugar fluff was devised in the late 1800s. European immigrants brought the plant to North America.

The method for extruding marshmallows as we know them was patented in the United States in 1948, leading to a burst of popularity in the 1950s. This was especially true in the southeastern U.S., where sweet potatoes also have always been popular.

By now, marshmallow confections most often contain no actual marshmallow at all. They typically contain sugar, corn syrup, corn starch, gelatin, and lots of air. Some are available with vegetarian gelatin substitutes but are not as fluffy and delightful as the gelatin kind. And if you want the real thing for your Thanksgiving feast, made with actual marshmallow root extract, you might have to make them yourself.

But real and authentic are not the same. Unreal marshmallows somehow have become the authentic American Thanksgiving tradition! For authentic candied sweet potatoes, try this recipe for six servings:

Candied sweet potatoes

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked (baked or boiled, then cooled and peeled) and cut in half lengthwise or into thick slices

½ cup packed brown sugar

½ cup honey

¼ cup butter

2 cups mini marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an attractive baking dish and arrange potato pieces and one cup of marshmallows in it.

Combine brown sugar, honey and butter in a saucepan and heat to boiling. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring. Pour syrup over potatoes.

Bake for 20 minutes.

Just before serving, spoon syrup over potatoes, sprinkle remaining marshmallows on top, and place under the broiler until marshmallows melt to desired consistency and color.

For variety, spice up with cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg or allspice. Add powdered, fresh or candied ginger; fresh, canned or dried pineapple; coconut, bourbon or molasses. For some crunch, sprinkle graham cracker or ginger cookie crumbs before topping with marshmallows. Or, whip the baked yams/marshmallows with some extra butter before topping with syrup and extra marshmallows.

Enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving!