S'mores: Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion

S’mores: Gourmet Treats for Every Occasion
by Lisa Adams [641.865 Ada]

S’mores — the perfect summer cookout snack! I was thrilled to learn that Nabisco was coming out with a S’mores-flavored Oreo cookie variant this summer, then this s’mores cookbook passed across the desk at the downtown library and I started to drool. You’d think there wouldn’t be that many different ways to make s’mores — after all, the basic recipe calls for graham crackers, chocolate bars and toasted marshmallows…pretty simple, hmm? What Adams does in this recipe book is deconstruct the basic recipe and rebuild it with a variety of other common elements, and/or bring in some items you’d never have thought of to combine with standard s’mores fare. The one ingredient that remains consistent throughout the recipes is the toasted marshmallow. However, Adams’ recipes replace the traditional graham cracker with outer layers as unusual as pound cake, cookies (of various flavors), pre-made chocolate taco shells, brownie bites, waffles and waffle ice-cream cones, croissants, etc. Additional ingredients added to the interior range from various non-traditional chocolate flavors to fruits, popcorn, crushed breakfast cereals, jelly, etc.

Throughout, the author gives helpful hints on how to prepare the ingredients — for instance she prefers to pre-warm the bottom cracker with the chocolate on it, so the chocolate will be all melty — and over half the recipes include beautiful full-page photographs of the finished products. It was those photos that first pulled me into this one. I recommend this book for anyone interested in experimenting with a classic snack concept, and for foodies looking for great food pictures. I can’t wait to try a couple of these recipes, the next time I have some coals left over after a cookout! -- recommended by Scott C. -- Bennett Martin Public Library [ see Scott's Reviewer Profile and more of his reviews ]

[ official Lisa Adams web site ]

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