Summer seems like the last lonely crumb sitting on a plate by the sink on dishes that were cleared from the table hours ago and left with the hope of getting to them at some point before the light of dawn hits the kitchen counters.  It wasn’t that long ago but it feels like it could have been.  This summer I had the pleasure of getting to know blogger Susan Whetzel of She’s Becoming DoughMesstic as we raised a glass to celebrate her new cookbook.

Let’s start with “Southerners”  Being Canadian, basically you’re all Southerners to me if you’re American, but I know there are different levels of Southern.  To me Susan Whetzel totally counts.  She’s got the sweet as molasses drawl.  Susan has that relaxed aura that a Northerner has to pay for an hour massage, drink a glass of wine, know that their baseball team is winning, and be in a yoga class to capture.  That calm that comes only during the last 10 minutes of class and disappears about 10 minutes after hopping on your bike for the ride home.   So that’s the Southerner.

As for S’mores, Susan was in Boston because she was on The S’mores Cookbook Tour .  The cookbook is a great gift, but also nice to have on your kitchen shelf whether you are a campfire lover or not.  The book is not just 20 ways to make a s’more but so much better than that: s’more cocktails (yes I have your attention now), s’mores macarons, and s’mores crème brulée.

So my husband and I had a little disagreement about the timing on this, but I’ve had the cookbook sitting on my buffet since the summer.  Not my copy, mine hass been back and forth to the kitchen and living room for browsing, and baking, but a second copy has been on the buffet because to me the perfect time for s’mores is fall and winter.  In the heat of summer I want sweet juicy berries, ice cream, frozen treats like a nice layered semifreddo.  My husband says that s’mores are totally summer because you gild the marshmallows over summer campfires.  I guess he’s right, but I think I warm wool sweater, and a crackling fall bonfire is the better setting in which to enjoy a partially melted square of chocolate, sitting on an earthy graham cracker with a golden, warm, marshmallow pulled straight out of the fire.

Fall is here and so I think, just like the perfectly golden marshmallow that is gilded on the outside all around, swollen with hot air and sweet gooey goodness it is time to offer this sweet, perfectly crafted gem to someone who is ready to indulge.  I’ve got a few other treats to throw in too.  Look for this giveaway in the next week or so to satisfy your sweet tooth.