S’mores masterclass
With chef shon foster

EXP Journeys prides itself on elevating the standard for luxury travel. That is why we work closely with award-winning Chef Shon Foster and his team to ensure that every detail of a guest’s culinary experience reflects the decades of technique and execution the EXP team brings to bear. In this edition of the EXP Blog, Chef Shon shares some of the techniques and insights he has learned over the years to help you create the perfect backcountry dessert – the s’more. Whether you are enjoying one of these delicious treats in an EXP Journeys’ luxury camp or in your own backyard; Chef Shon’s advice will give you a better understanding of, and excitement for, these classic backcountry staples!

First Steps First

Let us get down to the heart of the matter here – chocolate and marshmallow. One of the most popular dessert combinations known to man, these two ingredients can be found in classic desserts such as brownies, cakes, hot chocolate and even the iconic Moon Pie. There is just something about the rich flavor of the chocolate mixing with the melted goodness of the marshmallow that makes the tastebuds come alive. Some prefer double chocolate while others swear by well done marshmallows. Chef Shon recommends trying a few varieties of chocolate and marshmallow to find your favorite combination.

The Middle

Let us get down to the heart of the matter here – chocolate and marshmallow. One of the most popular dessert combinations known to man, these two ingredients can be found in classic desserts such as brownies, cakes, hot chocolate and even the iconic Moon Pie. There is just something about the rich flavor of the chocolate mixing with the melted goodness of the marshmallow that makes the tastebuds come alive. Some prefer double chocolate while others swear by well done marshmallows. Chef Shon recommends trying a few varieties of chocolate and marshmallow to find your favorite combination.

Coming together

Now that we have our basic ingredients, it is time to turn up the heat! No cause for concern if you do not have a campfire at your disposal because you are stuck inside; s’mores can be enjoyed almost anywhere as long as you have some form of a heat source. Innovative, indoor s’more artists use a wide variety of techniques to toast their marshmallows with some of the more popular options including roasting over a gas stove, inside a microwave or even using a miniature hibachi. And don’t be fooled into thinking that the marshmallow is the only ingredient that can benefit from a little heat exposure! While relaxing around the campfire at your EXP backcountry camp, you may see Chef Shon prepping his s’more station by warming up the graham cracker and chocolate before adding in the marshmallow. This technique causes the chocolate to begin melting which not only helps prevent the cracker from breaking but increases the gooey-ness factor!!

Tips and Tricks

The EXPerts at EXP Journeys have roasted literally hundreds of marshmallows over the years so we know a thing or two about working our way around a s’more stick! While modern stainless steel versions exist, there is something special and authentic about searching through the forest to find the perfect stick for your own personal creation. Try to source a stick that is free of bark and leaves while being long enough for you to comfortably stand away from your fire source. Some people even enjoy finding a limb that forks at the end so you can roast more than one marshmallow at a time! Regardless of whether your s’more stick has one or multiple roasting ends, taking the time to whittle down the end to a smooth point will make things go a bit smoother when it is time to take your marshmallow off of the stick.

One of the most important factors to consider when making your s’more is how you like your marshmallow cooked. No judgment here whether you like a marshmallow to just casually walk by the fire or if you would rather roast your confection until it resembles a chunk of charcoal. To each their own and hopefully there will be extras to share; just be sure to slowly rotate your marshmallow as you roast it so that it cooks gradually and evenly. If your marshmallow happens to go up in a blaze, bring the marshmallow slowly towards your mouth and gently blow out the flame. Resist the temptation to wave that s’more stick around in the air in an attempt to stifle the fire as that hot, gooey, sugary, gelatin concoction is much better to remain on the end of your stick rather than taking flight and landing somewhere other than in between your graham crackers! You definitely don’t want your marshmallow to go airborne and land in the dirt or on your friend…

Now that your marshmallow is roasted to perfection, it is time to assemble your creation. Years of trial and error have taught Chef Shon and his team that this is a task best performed by two people. One person should hold a graham cracker with the chocolate face side up while the roaster gently places the marshmallow on top. Then, place the other graham cracker on top and squeeze down while pulling out the roasting stick. Take care at this point to twist your s’more stick slightly as you pull to ensure that all that gooey goodness stays in between your crackers instead of clinging to the stick. Finally, snap the two cracker grahams in half as you squeeze down on the marshmallow. This will help seal the sides closest to your hand and prevent leakage while lifting and aerating the toasty marshmallow interior.

Your traditional s’more consists of graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate. But there are more than a few ways to take your campfire treat to the next level. Some of our favorite upgrades include using Ghirardelli dark chocolate instead of Hershey’s, Oreos instead of graham crackers and for our vegan friends – banana slices in place of marshmallows. Past guest favorites include Nutella, peanut butter, honey and even Starburst! Whatever your preference, let your creative juices fly.

If all of this sounds great but just a little too complicated and you would rather enjoy the campfire and stargaze while the professionals assemble and deliver your backcountry baked goods, reach out to us now! The EXPerts at EXP Journeys are trained and thrilled to handle the details and desserts for your next luxury vacation.

Now that your marshmallow is roasted to perfection, it is time to assemble your creation. Years of trial and error have taught the EXPerts at EXP Journeys that this is a task best performed by two people. One person should hold a graham cracker with the chocolate face side up while the marshmallow roaster gently places the marshmallow on top. Then, place the other graham cracker on top and squeeze down while the roaster pulls out the roasting stick being careful to twist slightly to ensure that all that gooey goodness stays in between your crackers instead of clinging to the stick. Finally, snap the two cracker grahams in half as you squeeze down on the marshmallow. This will help seal the sides closest to your hand and prevent leakage while lifting and aerating the toasty marshmallow interior.

Your traditional s’more consists of graham crackers, marshmallow and chocolate. But there are more than a few ways to take your campfire treat to the next level. Some of our favorite upgrades include using Ghirardelli dark chocolate instead of Hershey’s, Oreos instead of graham crackers and for our vegan friends, banana slices in place of marshmallows. Past guest favorites include Nutella, peanut butter and even honey. Whatever your preference, let your creative juices fly.

If all of this sounds great but just a little too complicated and you would rather enjoy the campfire and stargaze while the professionals assemble and deliver your backcountry baked goods, reach out to us now! The EXPerts at EXP Journeys are trained and thrilled to handle the details and desserts for your next luxury vacation.