Campfires, and S'more Roses

With massive wildfires burning across Canada tonight, especially through dry BC, Alberta and Saskatchewan, a rite of Summer has been banned in many parts of the country. The campfire - with its flickering, crackling flames, rich smokey fragrance, stories, laughter and S'mores - is part of our Canadian culture. 

Canada's Van Gogh, trailblazing painter, Tom Thomson glorified the outdoor hearth in his iconic work, Campfire, painted in Algonquin Park, in 1916, the year before his suspicious death.  In the Spring of 1917, he came up to Algonquin from Toronto, to paint the park through the changing seasons.

Stories about his death 98 years ago today, have been told and retold around dying embers of campfires.  Thomson, an experienced park Firefighter, Ranger, and Fishing Guide, was last seen alive, midday on July 8, 1917, when he launched his canoe in Canoe Lake, and set off alone, on a fishing trip.  A few hours later, his overturned canoe was seen drifting near the dock, and more than a week later, his body resurfaced on the lake.  There was a bruise over his left temple, and fishing line wrapped around and around his ankle. Although his death was ruled an accidental drowning, many think he was murdered.

Campfire Roses, with their fiery yellows and reds, were developed by Agriculture Canada as part of the Canadian Artists series of hardy roses.  The now disbanded programme, also brought us the climbing deep pink Felix Leclerc, the yellow Bill Reid, and the rich red Emily Carr (she was often called the eighth member of the Group of Seven).  The fourth and final rose of the series, Campfire, named after Thomson's painting, blooms all season, right through to hard frost - about the time the largest of the Saskatchewan fires is expected to burn itself out.

No night around the campfire is complete without S'mores.  European readers (hello UK, France, Italy, Belgium, Germany, Malta and Ukraine!) may not know what S'mores are.  The name is short for "I would like some more, please".  The recipe, first published in 1927, in Tramping and Trailing with the Girl Scouts (I don't make these things up), has not changed since Grandma's day:  graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows.

S'mores

8 long sticks, twigs, or skewers 

16 graham crackers

8 bars of chocolate, each broken in two

16 large marshmallows

Gather sticks or twigs, and sharpen the tips to make a spear (or just use those barbecue skewers you packed in the trunk of the car).  The gathering and whittling is good to do while waiting for the campfire flames to die down, since toasting marshmallows directly into the flame, results in little balls of charcoal.  Best remember, embers are best. 

Place squares of chocolate on each graham cracker.  Slide two large marshmallows onto the spear, and toast marshmallows over the low flame or embers, until brown and slightly bubbly.  Slide the marshmallows onto one of the chocolate covered graham crackers, and place a second chocolate covered cracker on top, to form a sandwich.  Gently squeeze the sandwich, so that the hot marshmallow melts the top and bottom layers of chocolate.  

The original Girl Scouts' recipe added this disclaimer:  "Though it tastes like 'some more' one is really enough".

Campfire, 1916 oil on wood painting by Tom Thomson (Aug 5, 1877 - July 8, 1917).
National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa (a wonderful place to visit when you are not camping).

Photos copyright of Ruth Adams, Widow's Endorphins Photographic Images Inc.