The Oyster S'more Might Be The Wackiest Dessert Of The Summer

With sunny days on the horizon, the return of the ultimate sweet treat is right around the corner. S'mores are the pinnacle of hot summer nights, filling the backyard with the scent of toasted marshmallows, melted chocolate, subtly sweet graham crackers, and — according to one eatery's creative take on the dessert — roasted oyster.

From salted caramel to sliced fruit, there are plenty of secret ingredients for ridiculously good s'mores. But even the already savory s'mores twist of swapping Extra Big Cheez-Its for graham crackers couldn't prepare the world for this extra umami creation by Fleet Landing, a restaurant and bar in Charleston, South Carolina. The joint stays true to its Southern roots by serving customers what it calls a "Sm'oyster." Exactly as it sounds, this dessert crosses s'mores with shellfish. The result is a roasted oyster topped off with shaved chocolate, toasted marshmallow, and crumbled graham cracker.

When most people think of the best oyster toppings, chocolate and marshmallows aren't usually at the top of the list — or on the list at all, as a matter of fact. But they were for Fleet Landing's raw bar manager, Lucas Hanagriff, who is the mastermind behind the wild mashup of ingredients. In an interview with Food & Wine, Hanagriff revealed that the idea came after a previous attempt at sweet oysters that were inspired by Girl Scout Cookies. Feeling that this first attempt lacked a quality it needed, he thought of torching a marshmallow right in front of guests to elevate the experience. Hence, the Sm'oyster was born.

He specified that one feature that sets the dessert apart is that it doesn't use any regular old marshmallows. It's utilizes a fluff created from egg whites, sugar, and honey, with the last ingredient highlighting flavors from other elements within the dish. If you find yourself in South Carolina and are interested in testing out the eccentric sweet treat yourself, you'll have to ask for the Sm'oyster to be made for you at the bar. It's not listed anywhere as an official offering, as it's a secret menu item.