I don't mean to brag...by Gina Waite

Sat outside with my kiddo's the other day and started talking about the upcoming summer.   Our discussions covered: what they wanted to do, where they wanted to go and inevitably, how quickly they could go camping!  Tis the season for all-things-camping and with the enthusiasm for it almost tangible in the air, the kids pulled out the marshmallow roasting sticks and within just a few minutes, a fire had been made up in the urban fire bowl and smore's supplies ready-at-hand!

Watching my kids quickly load up their roasting sticks and plunge their marshmallows into the red-hot flames of the fire...trying desperately to find an area of orange ember instead of red flame...I cautioned them that they would probably burn their marshmallows.  One-by-one my kids held up their roasting sticks and a black, stubby version of a marshmallow remained...they laughed and so did I!  My daughter, too excited to wait for the fire to produce embers, decided she would just eat her burnt sugary goodness (formerly known as a marshmallow) and continued asking me when I would be roasting mine..."all in good time, my love, all in good time!"

Watching the fire crackle and pop I plotted and planned and awaited the perfect moment that would ensure a nicely browned marshmallow skin.  The embers, orange at last, beckoned me to hover my white marshmallow just above the most prominent glow of the fire.  Painstakingly turning my treasure from one side to the other, a light brown shell started to form and, much to my delight, I was cooking the perfect marshmallow!

Can one even verbalize the joy the comes from watching a soft, white piece of sugar transform into a lightly-browned, delicate-shelled, inner-gooeyed piece of sugary goodness?  Not very likely...cause it's absolute magic to behold!  Now I don't mean to brag but that night, with my children around me watching in awe, I produced what I think must be the world's BEST roasted marshmallow!  Think you can do better...well, I'll be waiting for those pictures, until then you can refer to me as: her Magesty, Ruler of Roasting ... Happy Camping!!!!

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