Chicagoist Guide to The S'more

By Jacy Wojcik in Food on Sep 1, 2009 7:40PM

After several scientific studies (or talking to our friends) we have discovered there exists a segment of the population that has never heard of the s’more. Take a moment to guffaw, laugh at their incomplete childhoods and feel a general sense of s’more remorse. In honor of those who have never snacked on the delicious mess, we decided it’d be best to have an open forum on the s’more. After all, this is Labor Day weekend, and many of you will be camping, grilling and partying which are all excellent conditions for The S'more. Feel free to chime in with your best techniques, ingredients, and memories.

Two squares, a rectangle and a circle: A s’more is two graham crackers, a piece of a chocolate bar and a marshmallow.

High Brow or Low Brow: Make your s’mores with Honey Maid Grahams, Kraft Jet-Puffed marshmallows and Hershey chocolate bars. Or Organic Whole Foods grahams, homemade marshmallows from Fox and Obel, and a Vosges chocolate bar.

Campfire or Grill: People of Chicago, do not be afraid. You can make a s’more on your grill. Do not feel like you must be around a natural campfire, although it is preferred. And in dire times of mid-winter s’more cravings, use your stove or microwave. We won’t judge.

Restaurant? Yes. You can get s’mores at restaurants. N9ne Steakhouse has a make-your-own Campfire S'more dessert and Moto has an Acme S'more on their menu.

History: Victorian bakers and Girl Scouts. The first recorded s’more recipe was in the Girl Scout hand book in 1927 (Tramping and Trailing With the Girl Scouts) and many believe they were adopted from Victorian desserts that resembled sticky cakes filled with jam, cream or any other mess of sweet goo.

Origin. “ I’d like some more."” I’d like s’more”. “S’mores”. Makes sense.

S'mores in Film: