By: Elisheva Blumberg, Lubicom Staff

 

 

You know the phrase “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”?

 

The quote is attributed to Aristotle, who (I’m convinced) must have written that as he was chowing down on some gooey campfire s’mores.

 

Because really — if there’s one thing that’s greater than its individual parts, it’s gotta be the s’more.

 

Marshmallow, chocolate, graham crackers ← nothing earth-shattering here. But torch them together over an open fire and… miracle of miracles: a s’more is born.

 

 

S’more Power

Once a favorite of campouts and Girl Scouts, s’mores have recently been hijacked by major brands — like Oreos cookies and International Delight coffee creamer — as well as high-end restaurants, pastry shops, food bloggers, Instagrammers, and everyone else looking for a way to turn this nostalgic favorite into a new, evolved form.

 

On the lookout for a unique proposal idea?

 

Why not add a diamond ring to a s’more for an engagement-ready treat? (I kid you not. This has been done. More than once.)

 

Pinterest proposals aside, there are some ingenious (and less puzzling) ways the s’more concept is being executed. Food blogs, culinary mags, and Instagram are full of clever variations on s’mores.

 

S’mores martini, s’mores milkshakes, s’mores sliders, s’mores popcorn, s’mores in a jar, s’mores rugelach — even Martha Stewart got in the game; her eponymous magazine featured a recipe for Matzo S’mores!

 

 

S’mores Get Snobby

Gourmet restaurants have been known to borrow food from the masses and dress it up in epicurean clothing; I’m thinking along the lines of Champagne Elderflower popsicles and Gruyère mac ’n cheese.

 

The same thing is happening right now with s’mores.

 

• A Detroit restaurant reimagined the sweet dessert, serving it in a sandwich bun with Nutella, cinnamon, and marshmallow fluff.

 

• A Miami joint gave the humble s’more a haute makeover. Served in a glass mason jar, a base of graham cracker cake gives way to layers of peanut butter filling, bittersweet chocolate ganache, vanilla ice cream, and toasted marshmallow cream.

 

• The Ritz-Carlton in Lake Tahoe employs a Marshmologist, who offers guests fire-pit-roasted s’mores made with marshmallows infused with flavors like peach, caramel, or tarragon.

 

• Do you remember Dominique Ansel, the pastry chef who invented the wildly-popular croissant-donut hybrid, the cronut? He thought up a new twist on the iconic campfire treat: Frozen S’mores. This unique s’mores variation is frozen on the inside, while the surface is blowtorched on a stick smoked with applewood chips.

 

As you can tell, these gourmet s’mores are a far cry from the simple Girls Scouts s’more!

 

 

Sefirat HaOmer Sweet

With the skyrocketing popularity of the treat, Lag B’Omer celebrations have started to adopt the s’more as a DIY dessert. You already got the bonfire, why not bring out the s’mores?

 

Whether you enjoy the traditional three-ingredient S’mores or something a little more high-end, the chocolate-shmallow-graham flavor profile is sure to be a smash hit.

 

For S’more Inspiration

S’more it up at a Lag B’omer bonfire, picnic, or summer birthday party with these delectable s’more-inspired recipes.

 

Try Faigy Grossman’s Apple S’mores Tartlets, Rivky Kleiman’s Rocky Road Gelato, or Sarah Botwinick’s S’mores Brownie Bars.

 

And for your next BBQ, you don’t want to miss Renee Muller’s absolutely genius kid-friendly S’mores Cones hack!