S'mores

The first time I tried these iconic Canadian treats was at one of the most iconic Canadian places. I was attending a barbecue competition at Whistler, BC in August 2003, my first ever month in Vancouver. Even though the weather was hot and approaching the 30oC mark, there was still fresh, white snow on the mountain tops. After an hour in several gondolas ascending to Seventh Heaven where people were still snowboarding and throwing snowballs about underneath clear blue skies, we came back down to a large hotel bar to sample some of the barbecue fare and drink beer.

There were lots of open fire pits dotted around the outside patio and lots of people sitting next to them, seeming to be roasting marshmallows on sticks. Mary took me over and showed me how to assemble this simple dessert. Absolutely free, as though as much a human right for the Canadians as substantial housing, all the ingredients were laid out ready for people to help themselves. Jostling between two friendly snowboarders, I roasted my first ever marshmallow and was astonished at the congeniality of everyone, helping each other and laughing easily with strangers. This was not what I was used to. Neil and I made the decision to move to Canada not long after that day.

Smores were probably invented on a camping trip to keep restless children fed and amused and the name is a funny reflection of that. Basically a shortened version of "can I have some more" or "do you want some more?", the s'more or smore was born. To make a smore, you need 5 things: 

1. A marshmallow

2. 2 Graham crackers (or other - I used Jacobs)

3. A piece of chocolate

4. A stick

5. A fire

Get your fire going, whether it be a huge roaring fire as seen at Whistler or a small 5 coal barbecue that Neil and I used. Wait until it's hot and then pierce your marshmallow with your stick, (if you want to be rustic), or a metal skewer. Toast your marshmallow until it's golden brown and soft. Lay a piece of chocolate on top of a cracker, top with the hot, molten marshmallow and then sandwich with another cracker. The hot marshmallow will melt along with the chocolate from the residual heat, which will all meld together in a sort of sticky, gooey sweet sandwich. Usually the chocolate is still a little solid, so as to provide some bite with soft edges and glue like marshmallow. 

Because the marshmallow is so sweet, I used very dark chocolate, but you can use anything according to your own sweet tooth, (Neil had milk chocolate). Expect sticky hands and teeth that are virtually glued together, but as the name suggests, you will want more, they are addictive and a very fun thing to do over a camp fire. I've even seen a recipe for savoury smores with blue cheese and halloumi.....interesting.