S’mores. Nothing else draws nostalgic sighs from me like they do. Maybe it is my utter love of marshmallows. Maybe it’s the fire and the roasting. Maybe just being outside.

Marshmallow roasters fiercely defend their coloration gradient of a marshmallow from barely there, perfect brown, or Olympic torch black. I’ve wavered over the years from perfect brown to Olympic torch. Although, I rarely have the patience to work on the perfectly toasted marshmallow, preferring to remove the outside of the marshmallow and devouring the burnt goodness only to put the rest back into the fire for another charring. I have one rule, I never count the number of marshmallows I toast and eat. Never. 🙂

There is a bit of a mystery around the origination of S’mores. In 1927, a recipe for “some mores” appeared in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. Other sources include a Campfire Girls recipe. Additional schools of thought argue s’mores originated in the Victorian era desserts called sandwich cookies filled with cream, jam, or lemon curd.

From National Geographic:

By the 1890s, according to period newspaper reports, marshmallow roasts were the latest in summer fads. “The simplicity of this form of amusement is particularly charming,” reads a description of 1892. “One buys two or three pounds of marshmallows, invites half a dozen friends, and that is all the preparation required.” The proper means of consuming marshmallows, the author adds, is to nibble them directly off the end of the stick—or off the end of your neighbor’s stick, which may be why the author also touts the marshmallow roast as “an excellent medium for flirtation.”

S’mores could be a replication of the Mallomar (graham cracker with marshmallow coated in chocolate) created by Nabisco sold first in Hoboken, NJ in 1913. Perhaps the MoonPie, (graham crackers, marshmallow, also coated in chocolate. This originated in Chattanooga, TN in 1917.

Nowadays, there are many additions to the classic s’more. They include raspberry jam to peanut butter, from Nutella, Thin Mints, Nutter Butters, Oreos, chocolate chip cookies, and wheat crackers for a savory punch. S’more Recipes

Whatever your roasting level or additions, S’mores are a solid summer addition to camping and celebrations. Grab a stick or fork and find a fire and build your perfect outdoor treat.

Check out these links:

National Marshmallow Institute
Some More History of S’mores

Marshmallow queen,

DeanaOutside