Some foo
ds bring back childhood memories. For that reason alone, they are just fun to eat. The chocolate s’more is one of those foods. The name conjures thoughts of a sticky, gooey, chocolate goodness. When asked about the etiquette of eating a s’more, my first response is, “enjoy it and have fun”.
S’mores are traditionally a campfire dessert. Everyone is outside and casually dressed. It’s dark. No one can see the spot of marshmallow on your chin. There is no fear of chocolate dripping on a tablecloth or dropping a marshmallow on your lap. If something drips or drops, we laugh and reach for another marshmallow to place on our stick. When we’re done having our fun, a mother or host usually produces wet naps or damp towels for cleanup.
Recently, I’ve noticed s’mores are being introduced at less casual social events than the campfire. It’s not uncommon to see a s’more bar at a wedding or shower. This is where the childhood fun ends and we must become proper adults. Here are a few tips to help with the transition.
- Heat your marshmallow to medium rather than well done. It will be warm enough to soften the chocolate, but will not ooze out between the graham crackers.
- Use only one marshmallow per s’more.
- Go light on the chocolate and keep it inside the cracker edges.
- Hold the s’more firmly with both hands if possible. Support the bottom cracker with your thumbs as you would an overstuffed sandwich.
- Take small bites over a plate or napkin.
- Wipe your mouth between bites if necessary.
- Wipe your hands with a napkin when finished.
If you’re planning an event and would like to have the decadence of the s’more without the mess, consider placing the s’more ingredients in a dessert bowl and serve it cobbler style. Depending on the party theme, you may want to use a martini glass or mason jar. I’ve also seen recipes for s’more balls and s’mores on a Popsicle stick. Both recipes dip a marshmallow in chocolate and roll it in crushed graham crackers.
Menus should always be appropriate for the occasion. Avoid merging casual with formal. This way we can have our s’more and enjoy eating it too!