No one understands summertime sadness like Dinosaur Jr.
On his harrowing new album, Give a Glimpse of What Yer Not, J. Mascis strings together so many heartbreaking declarative statements that I just wanna force-feed him chocolate and make him take a vacation in the woods! And that’s basically what I’m about to do in this edition of “Beats & Treats,” the column in which I whip up recipes inspired by records.
In the fist-pumping song “Tiny,” Mascis sings, “I wanna know/I wanna go/I’m all alone/I wanna know.” It sounds like what he needs is a pal to distract him from his hard times! He says himself, “Calling out/I’m deep in doubt/I need you…the fear is that I can’t be friends for long.” I’m here to be your friend, Mr. Mascis — so just imagine I’m tapping you on the shoulder and saying, “Lighten up, man. And by lighten up … I mean light a campfire, let yourself be a kid again and make some chocolatey s’mores!”
Mascis continues: “Call me back/I’ll get back on track, I swear.” Don’t worry, Mascis! I’ll get you back on track in the sweetest way I know how — I swear! Nature is beautiful and s’mores are simple!
But, there’s just one snag in my heart-mending plan. I inconveniently live in Brooklyn with no access to nature, so a campfire is out, meaning throw any idea of a traditional s’more into the flames! I’ve made the vegan, city version: “Give S’more of What Yer Not!” No fire required 😉
Ingredients:
2 packages of dark chocolate chips
9 graham crackers
2 tablespoons of Earth Balance (butter substitute)
6 vegan marshmallows
Muffin tin and baking tins
Directions:
In the track “I Walk for Miles,” Mascis sings, “I walk for miles/I came for you/stopped for a while/I came unglued.” Luckily, you’ll only have to travel to the stove, counter and fridge when making these easy s’mores cups. First, melt both packages of chocolate chips in a non-stick skillet. 
Then place about a tablespoon of the melty chocolate in your lined muffin tins and place them in the freezer.
LET’S KNOCK THESE GRAHAMS AROUND!
With your hands, mix about 2/3 of the crushed graham crackers in a bowl with two tablespoons of Earth Balance. This will become our wet filling. The dry crumbles will be the topping. Also, take six vegan marshmallows and cut them in half making twelve. Now the real magic begins 🙂
In Dinosaur Jr.’s track “Be a Part,” Mascis asks, “Where’s my time?/where I find I’m right in line/a space to shine.” This is his time to shine; we’re getting to the proper filling for these delicious s’mores cups!
Take the muffin tray out of the freezer. Divide the wet filling evenly in the 12 cups. Then place a marshmallow half on top of the buttery graham crumbles. Mascis continues: “Broken-hearted/that ain’t no way to make a stand/so we started/c’mon explain to me again.” In my song called “Give S’more of What Yer Not,” the way to glue a broken heart together again? Use the same sugary substance I use to bind the filling together: s’more melted chocolate! 😉
Pour the remaining melted chocolate over the filling and top with the dry graham cracker crumbs…
When I am going through a heartbreak, I am constantly fiending for chocolate. You may be wondering, “Is chocolate really the glue that makes a broken heart whole again?” In “Love Is…”, Mascis describes what one can only imagine is the effect of the chocolatey cure on his heart: “Careless what I wished for my dear/ruthless once I had a taste if it.” Yes, once Mascis has “S’more of What Yer Not,” he will be ruthlessly eating his way to a whole, loving heart again. He continues to advise this behavior in “Love Is…” singing, “Let it fall on you/let it pin you down/til you tell the truth.” The truth is, I’d let these treats pin me down any day!
A glimmer of hope…
In the track “Good to Know,” Mascis sings: “I’m calling out to meet you…I believe in actual love.” His broken heart is cured! And after a bite of one of these sweet cups, I will believe in actual love, too!
