Sweet Summer Nostalgia: S’more Stories Around the Campfire with Matt Nielsen

Whether you’re gathering around the smoldering coals of a campfire or you’ve just finished up a night of grilling, one question will be on everyone’s mind – what’s for dessert? It is no surprise one of the first things that comes to mind is the classic s’more. This campfire dessert has three simple ingredients, is as fun to make as it is to eat, and is popular with kids and adults alike. In fact, it is so popular that as much as 50% of marshmallows sold during summer months are used for s’mores!

While eating s’mores during the summer is a time-honored tradition for many, the dessert is a relatively recent invention. The earliest references to the dessert come from the 1920’s, including a reference to a recipe for “Some Mores” in a 1927 Girl Scout trail guide.

One s’mores ingredient has a longer history than the dessert itself. It may be hard to picture the sweet treat as anything close to healthy, but marshmallows were originally created to be used as a sort of medicine. The roots of the marshmallow plant, an herb that grows in marshes and other damp areas, were processed with honey or other sugars to create a fluffy delicacy that soothed the mouth and throat. Eventually in the late 1800s, the herb was replaced with a more stable gelatin base, which made mass production easier and led to a rise in popularity for the confection.

Matt Nielsen, the Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, is our resident expert on both camping and s’mores. He loves making the dessert to wind down a fun evening with his family, whether it is in their backyard or somewhere more adventurous.

“S’mores always bring me back to family camping trips as a kid, sitting around the fire post dinner playing cards or some other game. It’s always a great way to end a night and a tradition my family now enjoys around our backyard fire pit or when we go to the mountains for winter skiing. There’s no bad time of year for a s’more!”

As an afficionado, Matt has plenty of s’mores tips and tricks for anyone who plans on making the gooey, delicious dessert:

• Stay safe by using longer skewers: Make sure they are a minimum length of 24-36 inches to avoid singed fingers, and try to use multi-pronged skewers if you can so the marshmallows stay in place better
• Pay close attention to your marshmallow: Whether you prefer it lightly browned or with a charred outer layer, make sure you’re keeping an eye on your marshmallow so you can toast it to perfection
• Try some twists on the classic recipe: Use dark chocolate in place of the normal milk chocolate, and if you’re feeling especially adventurous use flavored marshmallows (Matt recommends strawberry, peppermint or cinnamon!)
• Avoid sticky fingers: Try making a s’mores bowl by layering toasted marshmallow, crumbled graham crackers and chocolate shavings in a bowl for mess-free option

If Matt’s memories have you craving melted marshmallows and chocolate, you’re going to want to try out some of our favorite s’mores-related recipes below:

We’d love to see any s’mores recipes you are inspired to make – share them with us by using #NielsenMasseyInspires on social media!