The s’more feels like a rugged campfire invention, but its roots lie in polite early 20th-century parlor treats. This episode tracks how a dainty indoor snack became the messiest American summer tradition.

We begin with the Marshmallow Marguerite, a buttered marshmallow on a saltine toasted under a broiler, then follow the switch to graham crackers and the addition of chocolate by 1913. From there we reach the 1925 newspaper mention of Girl Scouts eating some mores, the 1927 Girl Scout recipe, the 1990s nostalgia boom, and modern chef and corporate versions.

• How saltines, graham crackers, and chocolate came together before the campfire era
• The Girl Scouts’ role in turning the treat into a sandwich
• Why a campfire is essential to the physics of a good s’more
• How baby boomer nostalgia pushed s’mores onto fine dining and cocktail menus
• Why critics say the classic version tastes better in memory than in reality