Campfire Diplomacy with S'Mores

A picnic in November? This was my third International Group Fall Picnic, and the weather cooperated, thankfully. Still it was in the mid-50s range, so our menu of hot soups, hot cider, hot tea was a good idea.

The students arrived, we had our introductions, and the fun began. I'm beginning to think our friends don't trust us though, because we got a lot of "what's in this?" So after many reassurances of "No Pork!" they began to chow down.

The hot cider was a big hit. Many had never tasted anything like it. My recipe was so simple. Pasteurized cider warmed with those little dot sized cinnamon candies, a handful per 1/2 gallon. It beats all of the spices floating on top. I also attempted some chai, made the old-fashioned way with tea, spices and then adding warmed milk and sugar. It went over well too. The officer from Pakistan said it could have been a little stronger.

Our soups were potato, lentil, cabbage, and vegetable beef. We then had traditonal American desserts; apple pie, cookies, and pumpkin bread.

The picnic was held in what we call the "pit" which is directly in back of my home. The post just recently renovated it and it was clean with new outdoor lights and freshly painted picnic tables. It also has a fire place, so we started a nice roaring fire.

One of the ladies had thought to bring marshmallows, graham crackers and Hershey chocolate bars.

I was the lucky one chosen to demonstrate to our foreign students the art of making a S'More!

HOW GIRLS MAKE S'MORES --
(1) Place Hershey bars on graham crackers. (2) Toast marshmallows. (3) Place toasted marshmallows on Hershey bars to melt chocolate.

HOW BOYS MAKE S'MORES --
(1) Eat Hershey bars. (2) Eat marshmallows. (3) Throw graham crackers at other boys.

I chose the way girls make them! So we rounded up some nice long sticks and I proceeded to cook the first marshmallow. I am the "brown not burn" school of marshmallow cooking thought, and as I was roasting the marshmallow the students lined up to watch. Then the comments started, "Oh, I saw this on a movie, please may I try one?" "Yes, I did too, may I also." So before a few minutes had passed we had a circle of S'More makers. Then I asked them which movie . . . and they all said some horror movie! Oh my! So that's why I hadn't heard about that scene, though if you think about it, I'm sure there are lots of movies that have a S'More making scene . . . Sandlot comes to mind.

Anyway they had fun literally tasting a bit of American culture.

But the whole movie thing got me to thinking, do our foreign students take their views of us from the movies they watch? I shudder to think!