The Marshmallow-y Wonder of Guimauve in Blood-C, Ep. 2

“When you’re hungry, you’ll feel sad!” -Saya, Blood-C, Ep. 2

What is a guimauve? In short: “The French were the first to make a marshmallow closely resembling what we eat today. It was made from sugar, eggs, and the mallow plant’s jelly-like extract, beaten together to a foam. They called it pâté de guimauve, or guimauve for short—pâté meaning “paste” and guimauve being the French botanical name for the mallow plant” (Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/magazine/2008/07/cooking_life_fluff_piece#ixzz1SVWildzQ).  This delightful confection appears in the 2nd episode of the currently airing Blood-C, when Saya learns of the confection that gives Cafe Guimauve its name.

Presented to her in its pink, cube form, the sweet serves as a delightful complement to the black coffee that she drinks daily.  As the cafe scene follows immediately after a battle with an aged one the night before and a sing-song morning walk, it and the coffee also work well to represent Saya and her seemingly contradictory characteristics.  The Saya we see in public shares a bottomless amount of sweetness with everything and everyone, from her father, to Cafe Guimauve’s Fumito, to random animals she sees on her walk to school, and to her friends.  Her silly, yet endearing, made-up songs also reveal the kindness that she embodies.  And yet, her nights are filled with blood, with the protection of her small, yet beloved home.  The Saya who goes into battle looks nothing like the Saya singing about the weather.  Like her unadorned coffee, the bitterness of her endless fight against the aged ones is also an irreplaceable part of her.  Perhaps it’s the assurance of protection that allows her to be the happy girl she is to those she cares for.  Just like how the black coffee and the guimauve bring the flavors of each other to light for a gratifying blend of bitter and sweet, so, too, does Saya’s night life work to protect the life that she shares with her friends and family.

Interested in trying your hand at making guimauve? Try Chocolate & Zucchini’s recipe for Guimauve a la Rose et au Chocolat!