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 Not commonly know, chocolate was originally made to drink.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.
