We're gearing up for the 4th of July around here. And frankly, that means All-American food. Burgers and hot dogs and stuff like that.
Eric picked up a fire-bowl-thing a few weeks ago from Home Depot. He thought it might be fun to enjoy a fire in our back yard every now and then. And he was right. We're kind of loving it.
The combination of 4th of July, hot dogs, summer, and fire-bowl-thingy just scream "S'mores!" to me.
When I was a girl scout and went on my first camping trip, "s'mores" were on the menu. I was about 10 years old and still fairly new to this country.
All of us were given un-bent (<--is that a word?) wire coat hangers and marshmallows and I followed the lead of the other girls as they put their marshmallows into the fire. What strange food ritual was I being initiated into?
"S'mores!" They said it with such passion. What was this food that inspired so much ecstasy?
Then I tasted my first s'more. And I got it.
The passage of time has not diminished my love of the graham cracker with melted marshmallows and chocolate prepared over an open flame, but I felt like it needed something slightly different. Maybe a touch of....Cubanity? (<--is that a word?)
Ladies and Gentlemen, let me introduce you to..... *drum roll, please*
Cuban S'mores Recipe!
I know you're already asking, "How is this fabulousness achieved?"
The secret is in the Marias. Maria cookies instead of graham crackers. Genius. (Deliciously genius.)
INGREDIENTS
- Marshmallows
- Chocolate bars (broken into pieces)
- Maria Cookies (You heard right. MARIAS! It's what gives this s'more its Cubanity.)
1) Heat the marshmallow over an open flame until it begins to melt and brown on the outside.
2) Place a few squares of the chocolate on a Maria cookie.
3) Place the hot, cooked marshmallow on the chocolate.
4) Sandwich with another Maria cookie. If you like the taste of more chocolate, place more squares over the marshmallow before you top with the other cookie.
5) Allow the marshmallow to cool just a bit before eating.
Come back here and tell me how much you love this.
You're welcome!
You can get Maria cookies online at the Cuban Food Market.
{Full disclosure: This idea came from one of my Facebook followers. If you are not yet part of that "relajo," please follow My Big, Fat, Cuban Family on Facebook. Who knows what they will think of next? Damn Cubans.}
I love you for this! My husband and I are going camping for the first time in two weeks and I told him that I wanted to make S'mores with Maria cookies! He looked at me as if I was crazy - I can now show him your blog and tell him that it is *not* insanity; its it brilliance!!
Posted by: Dyana B | July 04, 2013 at 02:57 AM
Great minds, Dyana..... ;-)
Posted by: Marta M. Darby | July 04, 2013 at 10:56 AM
I never thought of Maria cookies for S'mores. Great idea Marta! I will be trying this very soon.
Posted by: Faustino | July 08, 2013 at 11:31 AM