Hershey Pennsylvania: A Sweet Pit Stop

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On my recent journey to Pennsylvania, I couldn’t help but stop at the chocolate Mecca on my way home to NYC: Hershey, Pennsylvania. Driving past the massive roller coasters at the theme park, serene Hershey Gardens, and ZooAmerica, there are an endless combination of funtivities to immerse yourself in. However, I chose to focus on the place where the magic happens…..Hershey’s Chocolate World.

Hershey’s Chocolate World
251 Park Blvd
Hershey, PA 17033
http://www.hersheys.com/chocolateworld/

 

Before I made my own candy bar I indulged in one of their chocolate tastings.  Not commonly know, chocolate was originally made to drink.  First recognized for their rich texture and flavor, cocoa beans date back to the days of The Mayans.  When Cortez discovered the uncharted Mexican territory he demanded their most valuable possession and handed to him was no less than cocoa beans.  Formerly used as currency, you can thank these delicious nuggets of goodness for the phrase “bean counter” because the tax collector would be paid in these sweet sweet beans.

In Hershey’s Chocolate Lab you learn all these fun facts and more while attending a chocolate making workshop helmed by one of their many skilled cocoa specialist.

Notice the plethora of nibs we were handed to try.  Our chocolatier encouraged us to let the flavors melt on our tongues and allow our palates to truly recognize the bouquet of tastes.  Much like a fine grocery store wine, my chocolate had the faint burn of coffee or maybe that was just because I was on my third cup of iced Java for the day.  It was amazing to watch as children taught their taste buds to notice faint hints of citrus and pepper.

We were encouraged to get as creative as we desired.  Speckling my chocolate bar concoction with cinnamon and chile pepper it was truly a foodsperiment.

Whether you’re looking for an informative lecture or fun for the whole family, Hershey’s Chocolate World has a little bit of everything.  It’s no surprise that the nation of Spain kept their discovery of chocolate a secret from the rest of the world for a hundred years.  Who needs top secret weaponry when in one day you can mass produce ten million chocolate bars in Hershey’s new state of the art factory.
Hershey's Chocolate World Attraction Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

Megan

Born in Virginia and raised on the mean streets of Garden City, Long Island, I’ve learned to appreciate any type of cuisine from a late night burrito and tatcho’s to a tasting menu and wine pairing. I’m a bit of an adventurer when it comes to food and am always up for an eating challenge where I can find one. I may or may not have eaten sixteen chili tacos to become “The Taco Queen” of a small hole in the wall Mexican eatery. I also couldn’t help myself from ordering whale in Oslo (please don’t tell Green Peace) and can’t resist a zany menu choice. A writer and performer, I like to pair my meals with a good play and you can find my reviews on New York Theatre Guide. Baking is a guilty pleasure and I’m constantly preparing confectionaries with surprises inside. I hope one day to compile all my recipes into one called “Get Stuffed”.I’m looking forward to the next culinary adventure I carve out and sharing them with you. I may just need to create an entire series devoted to “did they really just make this Asian/Mexican/Korean/Italian fusion a food truck?”. Cheers!

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