S’mores

A s’more is a traditional campfire treat popular in the United States, consisting of a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. The name “s’more” means “some more”, as in: “give me some more!”. S’more appears to be a contraction of the phrase, “some more.” The informal nature of this term reflects the environment in which s’mores are traditionally served and its meaning hints at the desires of campers who are not satisfied by just one s’more. Some have jokingly surmised that the name originated from people who were so busy eating the tasty treat that they did not have time to speak in complete sentences, or alternately, that their enunciation was compromised by the fact that their mouth was still full of the previously mentioned s’more.

Another theory is that the dessert is so sticky, particularly due to the combination of melted chocolate and marshmallow, that it is especially difficult to talk or swallow, and this remains the case for some time even after the entire dessert is eaten. Therefore, if someone who has finished swallowing their last piece of the dessert is asked if they’d like another, “s’more please” would be all they could manage to relay.

While the origin of this popular campfire dessert is unclear, the first recorded version of the recipe can be found in the Girl Scout Handbook of 1927. The recipe is credited to Loretta Scott Crew, who reportedly made them by the campfire for the scouts.

S’mores are associated with recreational camping. Part of the enjoyment of this simple dessert is the way in which it is made on such camping trips. A marshmallow is skewered on the end of a long stick (or metallic skewer) and held just above a campfire until its outer surface starts to brown. Once heated, the inside of the marshmallow becomes soft or molten. The marshmallow is quickly pinched off its stick with the waiting graham crackers, one of which has a piece of chocolate on it. Ideally, the heat from the roasted marshmallow partially melts the chocolate. However, some people assemble the entire s’more on the stick and cook it all at once to ensure that the chocolate will melt. Peanut butter can be added to the mix for additional flavor, either between a graham cracker and the chocolate piece or between the chocolate piece and the marshmallow. Keeping the graham crackers and chocolate near the campfire can help melt the chocolate.

Making s’mores in this manner is so popular in the United States and Canada that supermarkets often carry graham crackers, marshmallows, and large chocolate bars in the same shelf section during the summer months. In recent years S’More Kits for assembly on the kitchen table at home have been sold at housewares stores; as well as individual items such as SMORSTiX, intended to make preparing s’mores as easy as possible. These consist of a small heating element to cook the marshmallow, metal skewers and a lazy susan to hold the raw ingredients. These are similar to fondue sets. Different items sold as s’mores may be found in restaurants, prepared at home, or even bought ready-made. These confections usually contain the three ingredients of graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow, but they are not necessarily heated or served in the same shape as the traditional s’more.

The popularity of s’mores has led to the flavor being used in product development of other foodstuffs; Pop-Tarts now feature a s’mores variety that has a graham cracker crust, chocolate icing, and chocolate & marshmallow-flavored filling.

An alternative method for preparing the s’more is by heating the entire object in the microwave. Advantages of this method include the speed, relative ease of preparation, and the increased amount of melted chocolate. This method softens the graham cracker, which is distasteful to some. This method often removes the social element of preparation, which shies some away from them.

Traditional S’mores Recipe

S’mores are a traditional American campfire treat, prepared over an open fire or even in your own home.

Ingredients

* 4 marshmallows
* 4 graham crackers (4″ x 2″ – 10cm x 5cm)
* 2 oz (55g) chocolate bar

Makes 4 single serving s’mores

Preparation

1. Build a campfire for toasting marshmallows.
2. A long thin stick from the woods is hard to find(a thin, long wooden dowel may be a good substitute but will catch fire easily). The stick, which is usually taken from the ground as part of a dead treebranch, does not have to be sterilized, but simply clear of any brush. Alternately, you may purchase a metal roaster stick. Don’t use a coat hanger or chrome or galvanized metal(like fence wire). Use stainless steel.
3. Before roasting the marshmallows, one must prepare the pieces of graham cracker, and a layer of chocolate. Break the crackers in half, so you have 2 2″x2″ (5cm x 5cm) squares for each s’more. Break the chocolate bar into 1/2 oz (15g) pieces.
4. Push a marshmallow on to the end of the stick. Using the stick to place the marshmallow directly above the flame or source of heat, toast the marshmallow until it is golden brown around the outside. Some prefer their marshmallow burned. Others like to burn the marshmallow and pull off the burned outer skin to get to the gooey center.
5. Place the toasted marshmallow in between two pieces of graham cracker, with a layer of chocolate bar in between. The marshmallow should be hot enough to melt the chocolate. In a family setting, sometimes it is helpful for children to roast the marshmallows, and adults to supervise and assemble the s’more while preventing the child from touching the hot end of the stick.

* If you are not camping, patio/backyard firepits work great.Here is a way to do it indoors in your own home:

1. Prepare the pieces of graham cracker, and a layer of chocolate. Break the crackers in half, so you have 2 2″x2″ (5cm x 5cm) squares for each s’more. Break the chocolate bar into 1/2 oz (15g) pieces.
2. Place the chocolate on one of the pieces of graham cracker, and then place a marshmallow on top.
3. Put it in the microwave for 15-25 seconds (depending on the microwave).
4. After it has been microwaved, the marshmallow should be much bigger and fluffier and the chocolate should be semi-melted. Place the other half of the graham cracker on top of the marshmallow and squish it down.

Excerpts taken from Wikipedia.org and wikibooks.org.