This yummy holiday is celebrated annually on August 10th, a combination of graham crackers, toasted marshmallows, and chocolate bars, a favorite campfire treat of Girl Scouts since the early 20th century. But there are numerous s’mores recipes beyond the cookie sandwich; you’ll find them below.

The popularity of s’mores has had contemporary home cooks cooking up everything from s’mores ice cream, ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches, and pies; to bark, brownies, chocolate bars, cookies, and fudge; to s’mores cocktails.

The high point must be the s’mores kits sold by artisan chocolatiers and marshmallow makers, including homemade graham crackers (so good, that the big brands are like cardboard in comparison—here’s a recipe to bake your own).

The low point may be Kellogg’s Smorz and Post’s Honey Maid S’mores Cereal, which cons parents into allowing their kids to breakfast on chocolate, marshmallow and graham cracker bits.

Below:

> The history of s’mores.

> S’mores recipes from the classic to the creative.

> How to make s’mores in your kitchen.

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> The year’s 44 cookie holidays.

> The history of cookies.

> The different types of cookies: a photo glossary.

> The 10 different styles of cookies.
 
 
1. THE HISTORY OF S’MORES

We don’t know who invented S’mores, but the Girl Scouts certainly popularized them. The first published recipe is in their 1927 handbook.

S’mores around the campfire have been a happy tradition: a stick, a fire, two toasted marshmallows, a square of chocolate and two graham crackers get you a delicious chocolate marshmallow sandwich.

The combined flavors of toasted marshmallow, melty chocolate, and crunchy grahams are oh-so-much tastier than the individual ingredients (or, to quote Aristotle, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts).

It is very possible that a Girl Scout or troop leader, sitting around the campfire toasting marshmallows, pulled out graham crackers and chocolate, brought them along for snacking, and made the first sandwich.

The name of the sandwich cookie comes from its addictive quality: You have no choice but to ask for “some more.”

But you don’t need a campfire, or even all of the classic ingredients, to celebrate with S’mores, as you’ll see below (skillet s’mores are so easy, you won’t miss the fire).

Don’t have a heat source to melt marshmallows? Use Fluff or other marshmallow cream.

It may be too late to throw a s’mores party on National S’mores Day, but it will be equally memorable on Labor Day or any other day of the year.
 

[1] Ingredients for classic s’mores from Dandies, delicious vegan marshmallows (photo © Dandies).

[2] Smores-in-a-jar: fun, and the drippy mess is controlled (photo © The Nibble).

[3] A pastry chef’s s’mores: homemade brownie with graham chunks and homemade marshmallows, browned with a torch (photo © Distilled NY.

 
 
2. MORE S’MORES RECIPES

Here are some s’mores recipes with twists that we’ve made. It’s just a smattering of the thousands of s’mores recipes out there.

Of course, the classic graham cracker sandwich with toasted marshmallows and a piece of chocolate is perfect as is.

 

[4] The classic (photo © Good Eggs).
 
 
3. COOKING INDOORS: NO CAMPFIRE OR OUTDOOR GRILL? NO PROBLEM!

Making s’mores indoors is quite easy using common kitchen appliances:

The Oven Broiler Method

Best for large batches, this is the closest you can get to a campfire s’mores because the direct heat from the broiler toasts the marshmallow.

1. LAY OUT the graham crackers on a baking sheet.

2. PLACE a piece of chocolate on one graham and a marshmallow on the other. Place the baking sheet under the broiler for only 15–45 seconds. Watch it constantly, as the cookies go from perfectly golden to burnt very fast.

3. REMOVE the baking sheet, flip the chocolate half onto the marshmallow half, and press down. There’s your ooey-gooey treat.
 
 
The Microwave Method

This is the fastest method and makes very soft, gooey s’mores, although the marshmallow won’t get that familiar golden-brown crust.

1. ASSEMBLE the s’mores (bottom graham, chocolate, and marshmallow). Microwave on a paper towel or plate for about 15–20 seconds.

2. WATCH the marshmallow closely—it will expand significantly. As soon as it doubles in size, stop the microwave and top with the second cracker.
 
 
The Toaster Oven Method

Similar to the broiler method, this is great for making one or two s’mores.

1. PLACE the marshmallows on graham crackers and toast them in the toaster oven until the marshmallow is golden. Once toasted…

2. ADD the chocolate and the top graham. The heat from the marshmallow will melt the chocolate.
 
 
The Kitchen Torch Method

If you want that authentic charred flavor, you can assemble the s’mores and use a culinary torch to toast the marshmallows before adding the top graham. This gives you the most control over the “toastiness” of the marshmallow (we like ours particularly charred).

If you don’t have a kitchen torch, you can use a candle flame—the indoorsman’s campfire.
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

[2] No matter the original color of the lobster shell, it will cook up bright red (photo courtesy Sydney Fish Market).

[3] Dining alfresco at Cliff House in Maine (photo courtesy Destination Hotels).

(Does anyone ever have his or her fill of lobster?)

We’ve previously written about how to buy a lobster from the tank, if you’re taking it home to cook.

If you’re planning to enjoy a lobster dinner at a restaurant, here are tips from a restaurant chef who specializes in lobster.

When we first heard about Chef Shell, we thought it was a nickname complimenting his expertise with shellfish.

However, he actually is Executive Chef Rick Shell, who oversees all culinary operations at Cliff House in Maine.

If you’ve ever sprung for a pricey restaurant lobster, only to have it not live up to your expectations—not sweet, not tender—here is his advice.

Lobster can evoke both casual and sophisticated dining memories. You can be at a picnic table, cracking lobster claws while sipping a cold microbrew; or at the most expensive restaurant in town, dining on lobster risotto with shaved black truffles.

“There is no right or wrong way to enjoy this gift from the ocean,” says Chef Shell.

But there are ways to ensure your lobster is memorable when you dine at a restaurant, he advises:

Weight. Always choose 1-pound lobsters. The meat is the sweetest. Do not venture past the 1.5-pound mark. It’s better to have two smaller lobsters than a larger one. And those big lobsters, that look so impressive and portend a great experience? The least sweet, with the toughest meat.

Preparation. Chef Shell boils the lobster, then places it on a wood fire to roast in the shell. Ask your server how the lobsters are prepared to compare techniques at different establishments.

Chewiness. Lobster should be like velvet, not chewy or tough. Chef shell advises that the usual culprit is overcooking. You can’t tell if the lobster is overcooked until you take a bite, so tell your server to relay that the kitchen should err on the side of undercooking instead of overcooking. In other words: You want soft, succulent meat.

Venue. Pick a place that sells a lot of lobsters: a good seafood restaurant. Even a steak house may be iffy. Look around: If you don’t see lobsters at many tables, it isn’t a fast-mover. It is more likely to be overcooked if the kitchen doesn’t turn them out in numbers; and if it’s a lobster tail instead of a whole lobster, it may come from the freezer.

HOW TO EAT A WHOLE LOBSTER

More tips from Chef Shell:

 
Voilà!

WINE & BEER PAIRINGS

From beverage manager Caitlin Hula:

 
NIBBLE TIP: Viognier (vee-ohn-YAY), from the Rhône Valley of France, is becoming much better known in white wine circles. It is now grown in California, Argentina and Chile, Australia and New Zealand. It is delicious with all fish and shellfish, including sushi.

Cliff House is a luxury oceanfront destination that looks out over the southern coast of Maine, just over an hour north of Boston and minutes from the famed sandy beaches of Ogunquit.

It welcomed its first guests in 1872, long before there was a need for garages for automobiles. The property stretches across 70 oceanfront acres atop Bald Head Cliff, overlooking the ocean’s edge and Nubble Lighthouse.

The beauty and serenity of the location offer a get-away-from-it-all escape. And then there’s the food.

The Tiller restaurant is suspended above the ocean. With panoramic views, spectacular sunrises, romantic sunsets, and the Atlantic horizon, it offers the perfect Maine oceanfront dining experience.

With lots of lobster, of course.

[5] Cliff House in Maine, just an hour and a few minutes north of Boston (photo courtesy Destination Hotels).
  

August is National Sandwich Month.

We love sandwiches so much, we created a glossary with the different types of sandwiches.

It is true that the Earl of Sandwich was inadvertently responsible for creating the modern English sandwich. But what we recognize as a sandwich—bread and filling—likely dates to around 9000 B.C.E., when permanent settlements were established in the Middle East.

The hunter-gatherers began to plant and harvest grain, which was turned into the first breads: unleavened flatbreads that were baked over an open fire. They were also “edible plates,” holding roasted meat or fish on the journey from pot to mouth.

People would eat “bread and cheese” or “bread and meat”; they just didn’t call it by a formal name. Check out the (sandwich history).

Since the original sandwich was Middle Eastern, put a spin on your favorite sandwich today.

 
 
GREEK-INSPIRED TUNA SALAD

This recipe (photo #1) takes the chief ingredients of the popular Greek salad (horiatiki) and adds tuna, creating “Greek tuna salad.”

We adapted the recipe from one featured by Put On Your Cake Pants.

Since local tomatoes are at peak now*, enjoy hefty slices on each sandwich.

Ingredients For 2 Single-Decker Sandwiches

 
For The Dressing

 
_________________
*When tomatoes are not in season, substitute 1-1/2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes, mixed into the salad.

†For a dairy-free sandwich, eliminate the feta and use a red wine vinaigrette dressing.
 
 
Preparation

1. COMBINE the tuna, cucumber, feta, and dried dill in a bowl.

2. MIX the dressing in a separate bowl: Greek yogurt, milk and salad dressing. Add to the tuna mixture and still until combined.

[2] Croque madame from France: grilled jambon de Paris and gruyère cheese, dipped into beaten egg and sautéed in butter, with a fried egg on top (photo courtesy Eggs Fresh Simple).

[3] Pulled pork arepa (here’s the recipe from Serious Eats).

[4] Banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich inspired by French baguettes (photo courtesy Good Eggs).