What Is a S’more and What Does It Consists Of?
A s’more is a traditional nighttime campfire treat popular in the United States, consisting of a fire-roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker. National S’mores Day is celebrated annually on August 10. The Guinness World Record for number of people making s’mores at one time was 423, set April 21, 2016, in Huntington Beach, California.
S’more is a contraction of the phrase “some more”. One early published recipe for a s’more is found in a book of recipes published by the Campfire Marshmallows Company in the 1920s where it was called a “Graham Cracker Sandwich”. The text indicates that the treat was already popular with both Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. In 1927, a recipe for “Some More” was published in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts.
S’mores Grahams (a.k.a. S’mores Crunch) was a short-lived cereal produced by General Mills. This cereal was similar to Golden Grahams with a blend of chocolate mixed in. It consisted of chocolate graham cracker cereal pieces and tiny marshmallows pieces similar to those found in packets of powdered hot chocolate mix. It was launched in 1982 and discontinued in 1988. General Mills later resumed S’mores Grahams production throughout the late 1990s, but it has since been re-discontinued.
The cereal’s mascot was the S’morecerer (an animated sorcerer). Ads with this mascot would feature a couple of kids trying to get to the cereal but then encountering a conflict (such as getting chased by a lion or their sail getting hit by lightning), then the S’morecerer would appear and transport them right to the cereal. It would usually end with one of the kids saying the tagline, “Can I have s’more?” The prize in every box of S’mores Grahams for many years was a small pack of Starburst candies.
Kellogg’s introduced a similar cereal in 2003. This version (named Smorz) featured larger marshmallows and “puffs” as the cereal-base, as opposed to the Golden Grahams style pieces of S’mores Grahams.
The contracted term “s’more” appears in conjunction with the recipe in a 1938 publication aimed at summer camps. A 1956 recipe uses the name “S’Mores”, and lists the ingredients as “a sandwich of two graham crackers, toasted marshmallow and 1⁄2 chocolate bar”. A 1957 Betty Crocker cookbook contains a similar recipe under the name of “s’mores”.
The 1958 publication Intramural and Recreational Sports for High School and College makes reference to “marshmallow toasts” and “s’more hikes” as does its related predecessor, the “Intramural and Recreational Sports for Men and Women” published in 1949, as the s’more is a great before and after exercise snack.
Various confections containing graham cracker, chocolate, and marshmallow are often sold as some derivative of a s’more, but they are not necessarily heated or served in the same shape as the traditional s’more. The Hershey’s S’mores bar is one example. Pop-Tarts also feature a s’mores variety.
S’mores are most typically cooked over a campfire by first roasting the marshmallow over the flame until it is golden brown. The marshmallow is then added on top of half of a graham cracker and a piece of chocolate. The second half of the cracker is then added on top.
S’mores can also be made at home in the oven, in the microwave or by using a s’mores making kit. S’mores making kits such as Sterno’s Family Fun S’mores Maker allow s’mores to be made anywhere over a portable flame. If you don’t have access to a campfire, you can always make s’mores at home in your kitchen. Of course, a big part of the fun of making s’mores is roasting marshmallows over an open fire. Just be sure an adult is around when deciding to roast marshmallows for s’mores!
Some people also enjoy coming up with new s’more recipes. For example, peanut butter is a popular s’more add-on. What would you add to a s’more to make it even better?