Let’s Have S’More

I think there’s a fire pit in our future!  We’ve been around a few, so to speak, in the last few weeks, and I t’s been wonderful— cozy and fun,  a celebration of togetherness, a setting for uplifting conversations and a scene for great desserts—S’mores.  

One fire pit was in the backyard of some friends in Carmel Valley.  After a tasty sourdough pizza dinner, we gathered around the fire pit and were presented with our marshmallow roasting stick, some graham crackers and squares of dark (healthy!) chocolate.  We then each wended our way through the roasting experience, observing who went for the golden toasted look and who went for “let’s set this marshmallow on fire” approach. Then we each began the messy assembly process and finally the equally messy but fun gooey slippery sweet eating experience. What a great circle of friendship and enjoyment!

Our second fire pit experience was at a local restaurant—The Valley Kitchen at Carmel Valley Ranch—which has the tradition of offering S’more makings for their dining guests’ post-meal fun.  If one is feeling like it (oh, YES), one can pick up a roasting stick and a little individually packed brown bag with the requisite marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers, and head to one of many fire pits scattered near the restaurant.  We, of course, did just that, and had the pleasure of meeting some new folks, finding out about their lives, while creating yet more fun gooey slippery sweet S’mores.

SO…I’m looking for my third S’mores experience and hope it arrives soon. ‘Tis the season of gathering and celebrating—what better way than to be around a campfire. Perhaps I should ask Santa for a fire pit!

♥On My Bookshelf: Food for Thought

Here are two books I’m currently enjoying reading, a page or two here, a page or two there:

The Wine Bible by Karen MacNeil

I found out about this book when reading about a History of Wine course being taught by the author.  It is a hefty,  comprehensive, beautifully written survey of “all things wine.”  I can read about wines from any country or state; I can learn about how wine is made or “Marrying Well: Wine and Food” or “Ten Questions All Wine Drinkers Ask”.  As the author says, “Some readers may read this work cover to cover, but you can also dip into it over time as your fascination with a given topic, country, or type of wine takes hold.”  I’m going to follow her second “dip into” approach.

The Rainbow Atlas: A Guide to the World’s 500 Most Colorful Places by Taylor Fuller

This is a visual feast of all kinds of towns, natural settings, festivals, cultures, locales, and more, that are remarkable because of color.  The reader is taken around the world by longitude, from Alaska to New Zealand, and offers a photograph and paragraph describing such places as a lagoon in French Polynesia,  a multi-colored hotel in Scottsdale, a palace in Sinatra, Portugal, and on it goes. As the lead author says, “Use it as a guide to plan your next adventure, or keep it on a coffee table and flip through it to find something to brighten up your day.”  I’m doing both!

♥Eating Out

On a glorious sunny day and the day of our booster shot, we drove to Nepenthe of Big Sur to have their iconic Ambrosia Burgers and French fries. Indulgent and celebratory and with a spectacular California coast view as the backdrop.

♥Tidbits

How long have S’mores been around? Apparently, the first recipe appeared in an early 1920’s cookbook where it was referred to as a “Graham Cracker Sandwich.” In 1927, a recipe for “Some More” was published in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts. Yay, Girl Scouts!