There isn't a single food that defines summer more than S'mores. If you don't have access to a fire pit or a grill, making them can pose quite a challenge. This idea makes things easy, even if you only have a small balcony or no outdoor space at all!
This photo from a recent wedding is a great way to take from a big event and turn it into a dinner party activity. This Sterno S'mores buffet provided guests an easy way to interact with each other and their food, without a bonfire blazing away in the wedding hall.
Turning this idea into something that could be done at home wouldn't be too difficult, all you'd need to do is come up a few cans of sterno (or even just one if your party is small) and the accompanying S'mores accoutrement to go with it. It could be done on a patio, or small balcony without any issues and if you're daring — used inside.
Yes, there would be some char and smoke that goes with it, but as long as you request that guests don't fully char their marshmallow, you should be just fine without smoke alarm worry. As an added bonus, your home will have a wonderful campfire smell without having to purchase any scented candles!
Is this an idea you love for small spaces or would you rather be S'more-less and just wait until you have a real open flame?
More S'mores Inspiration at The Kitchn
• Nutella and Banana: Dressed Up S'Mores
• Marshmallows on a Stick, But Better: S'Mores Pops
• Found: Mega Marshmallows For Your Summer S'mores
• Look! Individual S'Mores Bags
(Image: Jolynne Photography & Assaf Friedman Photography)
10 Picnic-Ready Salads to Eat Outside
Recipe: Thai Ginger Chicken Stir-Fry
Good Food to Share 
The Big Book of Small, Cool Spaces 
Apartment Therapy Presents 
The Eight-Step Home Cure 
Red-and-Pink-Stripe...
Ellen's Thirties Style Small Space
Juan's Garage Turned Modern Guest House
by "steno," do you mean "sterno"? cuz i have a few cans of sterno leftover from my son's baptism bbq and this is a great idea for using them up!!! now to procure some marshmallows...
would it give the marshmallows a "chemically"-taste?
Yeah, I'm with Carlee, I think those cans give off a terrible chemically-odor, something that affects food taste even when they're only used to warm a chafing dish. I definitely wouldn't want a marshmallow that had been placed right over the flame!
It is sterno, supersojen.
We did this in 2005 for a birthday party for my sister-in-law. It was a miserable idea. The chemical taste definitely is imparted upon the marshmallow. All 8 of us were very disappointed. Cute idea, poor solution for execution. Perhaps candles might be a better option? Never tried it, but I'm thinking a natural product candle might be a less "chemically" option.
hmm... good point, reddylee.
admittedly, plain marshmallows make me kind of queasy. so the chemical addition from the sterno would probably be terrible. cute idea, though, you're right. ah well.
Eww, yeah, sterno can smell pretty bad when it burns. I can't imagine sticking my food directly into its flame!
i was always under the impression that cooking food directly over the sterno was hazardous to one's health. not sure where i heard it, but i've always avoided it for direct cooking due to the smell.
@falnfenix, when we did it, we sort of ignored our own nagging feeling that it might be an unhealthy option because we wanted to do the s'mores thing SO BAD. :) Once we tasted it, it really didn't matter to us whether it was safe or not--it was just awful tasting and the aftertaste of the chemicals was nearly impossible to get over. It is one of those tastes that I recall vividly every time I see a sterno can.
I'm wondering, though this is just spitballing and I haven't really give this much thought, but perhaps it might be possible to use a cleaned, old coffee can, or something similar, and some kindling pieces and a chunky block of wood to make a "campfire in a can" and use that for something like this? If it was on the right base (like, a couple of patio slabs or something) and you had the right safety equipment on standby, AND it is legal in your community of course, it might not be a bad outdoor option. Wouldn't suggest it at the dining room table, but on a patio table, maybe?
I've done this sort of thing with a kitchen blowtorch - no chemical-y smell (after all, this is also what you'd use on creme brulee or similar), and it's pretty fun to pass around the torch to do everyone's marshmallows. You could get a few for a big group. Definitely NOT good for kids though since it requires some amount of coordination with an open flame close to your hand. :-D
The s'mores kits (yes I bought one) uses sterno. I think if you hold the marshmallow high enough over the flame to heat, but not char it the taste would be be
What about just using butane from something like a camp stove? The flame probably burns a lot cleaner than Sterno....
Serve drinks after the S'mores for safety. Serve before for inoculating the tastebuds.
@cupcakemuffin: that's a cool idea! Plus, safe indoors! Gonna have to try that!
Oh, gross. Sternos are great for chafing dishes, but I think I'll pass on holding my food over burning petroleum.
Oh! That sounds awful! Just the smell of sternos with a chaffing dish makes me feel queezy. I worked banquets for awhile and can't get the smell out of my system. I'd come home and try to shower it off but could still smell it.
However, the other day I did roast marshmallows with a few friends in a living room with a small butane camping stove. That worked well enough. Small aftertaste, but not nearly as bad as I'd guess a sterno to be.