Tuesday
Jul012008
Campfire Conversations
Tuesday, July 1, 2008 at 6:05AM 
Undoubtedly, someone - somewhere in history - must have once shouted - "Give me s'mores or give me death!" It's only logical to think that - after you have one - there's just no other possibility.
I like to consider myself an open-minded person - but I have to tell you... there is absolutely no way I can even begin to entertain a conversation with anyone about how they don't like s'mores - just can't. It's un-American.
But I'm here to admit - that variation beyond the Hershey bar as my chocolate source has yielded for me a very elitist - snobbish - highfelutin - gosh darned best s'more you have ever eaten... the secret ingredient - Nutella
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Ultimate S'more Recipe
Slather one cracker with the chocolate hazelnut goodness - place the warmed, slightly crispy marshmallow on the Nutella-ed cracker - place the other cracker on top and press down... I could go on and on - but the picture is worth 1000 words. It's that simple.But I suppose it's not just about the s'more and those 3 ingredients... It's alos about the campfire. Specifically the environment a campfire generates. It's the outdoor hearth that people gather around - it's sort of an island of community and civilization in the dark. Conversation always flows around a campfire - thoughts get shared and nutruted by the glowing embers. You are either net to the person or look at them across the shared flames - either way - the physical orentitaion of people around a campfire is such that - we are all friends - we are all equals - we all have something to share.
Kelli and I were the only two people at our campfire the other night - and the plan was just s'mores and conversation. We had both in quanity. No need for television - the lightneing bugs flickered like an exibit at Epcot. The smoke becomes a natural insect repllant. Quality time just passes when gathered in communion around a campfire. It's no wonder our ancestors started growing into what we have become today - seated around their very own campfires.
Reader Comments (3)
NUTELLA!!! I was raised in Germany and we ate that stuff every morning for breakfast. On black bread. Oh, I love that stuff. Don't get me started!
:-O
Oh man, don't get ME started - I do NOT understand the fascination in Nutella. Sorry - I've tried it more than once, and most likely WILL try it again, but I just don't get it. I mean, I read stories about you working it into your smores, and about others who've consumed most of a 6+ lb tub of Nutella ( http://finnyknits.blogspot.com/2008/03/oh-shame.html ), plus my mom loves the stuff, and it always sounds like you folks are having so much fun with the stuff... Sure, I like hazelnuts/filberts...but not so much when whipped up in this chocolately schmear...
Just a toasty marshmallow, graham crackers, and a small piece of Hershey's in my smore please. (And, to be honest, I'm not a fan of the plain Hershey's bars either!)
You've really got me wanting to convince Brett we need to light up our firepit, which I got last fall and we STILL haven't used the darn thing!
ginny - It's good stuff!
Jeph - pay attention to ginny!