The Cultural Introduction to the S’More, for England-Based Life Forms.

Dear England,

Before I begin this blog I wish to make it perfectly clear that I have no hatred against the institution which is Cadbury’s.  I love Cadbury’s so much that if I could, I would marry it.  But that would be in direct violation of my first love, Hershey’s.  While I applaud your copious use of civil unions I believe that marrying more than one chocolate bar violates some law, somewhere.  Regardless, your Cadbury goodness (especially your fruit and nut bars) hold a dear place in my heart.  However, when writing about what I am about to write about right below I must use Hershey’s.  For it is the Hershey bar which makes up …

The S’More.

Ahem.

A s’more (so as spelled due to ones desire to have “some more” or s’more) is an American camp fire treat born out of a union between pyromania and chocolate.  The traditional ritual involves a group of individuals (generally under “adult” supervision if children are involved) gathering around a large flame – usually a bonfire, campfire, or bbq grill.  Taking sharp-pointed sticks they impale large white marshmallows and thrust them at the open flame, setting them alight.  Once sufficiently blackened (or in several cases, coming dangerously close to burning the sharp stick clean off) the marshmallow is cooled (as in, no longer alight) and then placed on top of a portion of a bar of chocolate which has been placed on a portion of a graham cracker.  The other portion of the graham cracker is then placed on top of all this, allowing a “clean” stick removal from the marshmallow and thereby creating a sandwich which consists of 95% sugar.

The result is as below:

Traditionally, the Jet Puffed Marshmallow, a Hershey’s chocolate bar (broken into bits), and a Honey Maid Graham Cracker is utilized in the recipe.  People have, in the past, attempted to make much more posh versions, but they are just mucking it up.

Once you have created the s’more, insert it into your mouth, as so:

Please note, this is not a food to eat with a fork or knife.  The goal of the s’more is, in all truth, two things:

1. To make your face an entirely sticky surface.
2. To be able to, in a socially acceptable situation, set things on fire.

As per tradition the amount of graham cracker to chocolate to marshmallow ratio is completely off.  You will have, by the end of your s’more experience, at least 50 marshmallows, one half-broken graham cracker, and no chocolate.  At this point you can take place in the tradition of setting marshmallows on fire for your own personal amusement, followed by frantically blowing them out and eating them straight off the stick.

A properly charred marshmallow:

Culturally, the practice of consuming a s’more takes place in the summer months.  However, any open flame and the ability to impale marshmallows on sticks is considered a perfect call for people to gather and participate in the s’more making ritual. (Candles in the dorm room, anyone?)

English Alternatives for the American S’More

As Hershey’s is a direct violation of standard British law and graham crackers do not, for all intents and purposes, exist, consider doing as above with a large-scale pudding marshmallow (NOT PINK), a broken piece of Cadbury’s chocolate, and two rich tea biscuits.  You already have a Bonfire Night, so why not take it to the next level?

This blog is dedicated to Jill, who sent s’more making material to the United Kingdom and spent a small fortune in doing so.  Without Jill none of this would be possible.  But, as we all know, that is how Jill rolls.