Remember the s'more? That smoky gooey combination of marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers you grilled (make that burned) around the campfire? Well, guess what--since the last time you were a Boy Scout or Girl Scout, the rustic s'more has gone haute.
The origins of s'mores are unclear. We do know that the recipe for this campfire treat first appeared in a 1927 scouting handbook called Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. Yes, this portmanteau word--a combination of "some" and "more"--has been on the lips of North American outdoor cooks for nearly a century. (As have dabs of gooey fire-roasted marshmallows, smears of chocolate, and graham cracker crumbs. S'mores are gloriously messy to eat--they're supposed to be gloriously messy to eat.)
When it comes to fire-roasting your s'more, you have several options. The best is the classic: on a sharpened stick over blazing wood campfire. In your backyard, I'd opt for a fire pit or a charcoal grill without the grill grate.
This year, we've re-imagined the s'more: upgrading ingredients, like subbing super-premium chocolate for ho-hum brands. Using homemade or artisanal marshmallows. Even allowing s'mores to jump line by crafting savory versions as appetizers.
The constant--as always--is live-fire cooking.
Dessert S'mores:
- Replace the traditional graham crackers with homemade chocolate chip cookies. Spread the bottom of one cookie with hazelnut spread, then top with a flame-roasted marshmallow. Put the second cookie, bottom side down, on top of the marshmallow.
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Steven Raichlen is the author of the Barbecue! Bible cookbook series and the host of Project Smoke on public television. His web site is BarbecueBible.com.