For Margie, Gypsy and Val: S'mores 101

Okay class. This is an intensive course with explicit instructions regarding the making of S'mores.
Several marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate pieces were sacrificed in the name of culinary science, and the following scenes are graphic, so my more senstive viewers should proceed with caution. Note: no S'mores were actually harmed in this process. Just eaten.


First, the ingredients as they look prior to unwrapping.
The next three photos are of my intrepid lab assistants, all trained and ruthless professionals.


Agent Hayley.


Agent Scott.


Agent... erm... Justin.


This is my personal favourite for the chocolate aspect of the S'more: a square of a Caramilk bar: milk chocolate filled with rich, oozy caramel. And Rache, I found dark chocolate Caramilks... just say the word, baby.


This is perhaps a more traditional chocolate filling: a square of Hershey bar.


But whether you go Caramel or Hershey, the basic ingredients, pictured here, remain essentially the same.

Now, there are two ways to go about this. The first is more traditional, but the second is my preferred method.

First, the traditional method:


To begin, you toast the marshamallow, preferably over an open fire, but a candle inside will do in a pinch. Of course, proper camaraderie and support is vital, a pictured here by our intrepid agents.


Here in our inner sanctum, we are exceedingly fortunate to have the talented marshmallow toaster, Scott, at our beck and call. Agent Scott has used this ancient roasting technique to provide perfect marshmallows for all occasions, as well as to defend our country from terrorist threats.


As you can see, his talents in this field are awe-inspiring.


Agent Justin displays the chocolate fill choice for the first lab: ultimately, despite a close vote, the Hershey won out.


The pieces are now painstakingly assembled: the bottom graham cracker, followed by the chocolate piece, the marshmallow, and then the second graham cracker is placed on top, used not only to act as a top level, but also to hold the toasted and gooey marshmallow in place as the roasting tool is removed.


And voila! La S'more! Up close and personal! Note: this S'more was over 18 when the photo was taken.

Now, the second method, and my personal favourite, requires a wire roasting "basket" of some sort, as you will see in the next few photos.

The basket being loaded up...


The S'more is assembled cold, and all three componants are roasted simultaniously, creating not only a gooey middle, but a warm and toasty outer cracker.


This technique also allows for more than one S'more to be cooked at the same time... another bonus! Here, agent Hayley demonstrates the technique.


And here you see it, this time with a Caramilk square inside. As you can surely deduce, not only does the chocolate get gooey, so does the caramel... mmmm... caramel....

All right then. Class dismissed. I will be grading your practical techniques upon receipt of your homework via Bert.