Today, June 20th, is the first day of summer so happy Solstice. Because it is a leap year, it doesn’t fall on June 21, which was my grandmother’s birthday, but I digress.
Since it is now officially summer, the activities associated with summer are ramping up like picnics, cook-outs, biking, hiking, reading, camping out, and many more (all while staying safely socially distanced, of course).
Which brings this pedometer geek to the main point of this piece: in my opinion, s’mores are highly overrated, and frankly, not worth the hype (or the time and trouble to make). I may be the only person who has come to this conclusion, but before the stoning begins, let me explain.
Backing up a bit, this pedometer geek first experienced s’mores as a Girl Scout. I loved being a Girl Scout, and having a Girl Scout outing like a cookout or campfire often ended with s’mores, so named because it is a contraction of some more (as in I want some more). It was through the Girl Scouts that I first tasted one despite having heard about them from my older sister.
What’s not to like? S’mores are made up of three delicious all-by-themselves foods. Graham crackers, especially dipped in milk, are a tasty after-school snack. Milk chocolate is melt in your mouth yummy whether it is a Hershey Kiss or the Hershey’s Chocolate bar (which is what most people use when making a s’more). Last, but not least, is the delicately toasted marshmallow. Not burnt, but lightly browned on all sides is just perfect all by itself.
The three ingredients are made into a sandwich of toasted marshmallow and a few squares of chocolate squished between two graham crackers. The problem is the chocolate doesn’t melt; the marshmallow, while toasted, isn’t warm enough to melt the chocolate. Biting into it tends to make the whole thing crumble and fall apart, and that is why s’mores don’t live up to their glowing reputation. Thus, I eat the components separately.
The secondary point to the s’mores issue, which gave me the idea for this post in the first place, is that this reader has recently noticed that whenever camping and cooking over an open fire occurs in a novel, s’mores are the perfect treat. Several recent novels played up the s’mores. It may be the beginning of another What-the-tuck trend; this reader will be watching.
Sadly, once got sick on s’mores, and it’s affected my attitude toward them. It was back when I was in my late twenties in the military on Okinawa. I don’t blame the s’mores, really. First there was sushi with Saki for lunch. Then we hit the road and went camping. While setting up, beer was consumed, just Miller Lite, though, nothing heavy. Dinner was eaten, followed by Jack and Coke. I was smoking cigars, as well. Then I had the s’mores, and, well…I just lost it.
Don’t know why, really, but I blame it on one of those things.
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Blaming it on the s’mores seems perfectly rational to me, Michael. Except for maybe the sushi…that’s one food that I have trouble even contemplating eating.
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Yeah, don’t eat sushi any longer. Have trouble with fish for that matter, after that night. That taste stayed with me after that evening, you know?
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I think the whole idea is for children to give them the freedom to get messy. And not everyone likes messy. Especially if you camping and there are ants… not Aunts! While some of the ‘fire’ might repel the insects in front of you it also attracts others who are behind you – but then I wasn’t really ever a fan of camping. Especially when you’ve got a perfectly good bed with no bugs… and maybe even bears to eat your food. S’mores are OK if you’ve got a plate to catch the crumbs… but I guess I’m liking the idea of eating them separately too. 😀
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They are messy, JP. S’mores are just disappointing, but I really love the toasted marshmallows.
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I have to agree with you. They are not worth the trouble. Maybe they appeal more to kids.
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Sandy,
Maybe some kids, but this kid didn’t. I figured it out early that without melted chocolate and squishy marshmallow to hold the graham crackers together didn’t work, So I just ate the chocolate and enjoyed the toasted marshmallows separately. Nancy
Michael, my older son feels the same way about salmon. One bad experience and that was it for him. Fortunately, I love salmon and we have at least once a week.
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