May 17, 2018

A Visit to Hershey Park,
Chocolate is a Vegetable, Right?

Smiling at the end of a fun, full day at Hershey Park

Chocolate comes from a cocoa tree. 
That makes it a plant,
so chocolate is a vegetable!

Anonymous  

Hershey Park; just the name conjures up visions of glorious, luscious chocolate.
In addition to manufacturing a whole lot of chocolate, it is also the location of a major amusement park. My first visit there, this past weekend, was a fun one.  It was filled with birthday celebrations for four of my six grandchildren (one grand daughter turned four last month, and my triplet grand daughters turn two this month.) I so enjoyed the family’s company, while watching the little ones revel in the riding of the kiddie amusement attractions, as the older “kids” braved the “thrill rides”.

Unlike some of my (age 20-30) family members, I did not ride any of the
“thrill” attractions at Hershey Park.

For those of you familiar with My Broken -LegAdventure, yes, I was able to walk the park successfully! Clad in my “oh so lovely”, yet essential, orthopedic shoes, I walked the park from 9 am-5pm(See top photo), with only a slight discernible limp at the end of the day! Afterwards, I still had enough stamina to enjoy the Hershey’s Chocolate Tour free ride attraction!

You can read my other Broken-leg Adventure posts
here, here, here, here, here. and here.

The Hershey’s Chocolate Tour

First, let me just begin by saying, that I got a BIG kick out of this ride!  I mean, a Disneyesque ride with chocolate as the theme, and its free? Sign me up!

The Queue Area

In the 20 minutes that visitors in line work their way toward the ride, they are treated to various chocolate and Hershey facts lining the walls.

As visitors in line work their way toward the ride,
they are treated to various chocolate and Hershey facts.
Above is a photo of cacao bean pods that hangs on the queue area wall.
Each cacao bean pod contains around 30-40 beans inside.

Who knew that it took 270 cacao beans to make a mere one pound of chocolate?

 

 

Another pre-ride area sign (that I failed to photograph) claims that each regular Hershey Milk Chocolate with Almonds bar contains 8 almonds.  I tested it out, and this claim appears to be true. I am more of a dark chocolate girl, so I made the supreme sacrifice. :o) Okay, I admit it, the Hershey with almonds is pretty yummy!

The Ride

At one time Hershey conducted actual plant tours of their facilities, but today it is an entertaining simulated ride that visitors are treated to. Join me on my photographic tour.

The Hershey Chocolate Tour begins with a ride in Endless Transit System/omnimover-style. 

A screen in the front of each row of visitors, in each car, narrates the ride.

My son and his girlfriend enjoy the Hershey Chocolate Tour ride!
Note the “photo bomber” in the background.

Singing farm cows start the ride off in style.

We are on the factory cam in the upper right-hand corner.

This holographic image portraying a vat of chocolate made me think of the movie
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The molding and packaging of chocolate is demonstrated in this area, and the areas in the photos  below.

Reeces peanut butter cups

Candy kisses

The end of the tour takes visitors through this myriad of colorful lights,
another reminder of Willy Wonka.
The ride ends with each visitor receiving a tasty mini Hershey bar.

More Hershey, including a video 

I found this youtube video of the complete Hershey Chocolate Tour, here, or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BB8gNp_nnMo

For more articles on Hershey, click  here and here.

To read my 2016 article on the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory,
click here and here.

A Tried and True Hershey Recipe

My family has been enjoying this Hershey recipe for many years. I do not even remember where I originally got it!  I have made this recipe with a mixer, and I have also made it with a food processor.
If you are in the mood for a chocolate cookie, give this one a try!

Hershey’s Cocoa is at the heart of this recipe.

The ingredients for this cookie recipe are basic kitchen pantry staples.

These cookies set up as they cool off.

The Recipe

Hershey Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup Hershey unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1+ 1/4 cups (2 sticks, plus 4 Tablespoons) butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together flour, cocoa powder,baking soda. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment,
beat butter, sugar, and eggs on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla, and mix to combine.

Gradually add dry ingredients, and combine with mixer on low speed.

Line cookie sheet pans with parchment.
Using spoon, or a (greased with PAM) cookie scoop, put batter onto prepared baking sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until set and no longer shiny, about 7-9 minutes. (See photo above.)
Do not over bake.  Cookies puff up while baking and look soft,
but “fall” when cool, and become set.

Cool on baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen.

Annette’s note-I love this recipe.  It requires basic kitchen pantry items, so they
can whipped up anytime.
When I make these cookies, I rarely mix the dry ingredients together beforehand,
as directed. :O)
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container. Cookies are best eaten within three days.

Vintage Disney recipes will return on my next blog post.

Thanks for reading,
Annette

To enjoy any, or all, of my past blogs and photos, clickhere, or go to imannette.net, selecting the posts that you desire to see in the Recent Posts,
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A Canada Goose (or, as the debate rages on, is it Canadian Goose?) has taken up residence and built her nest in a large flower pot in the colorful exit area of Hershey Park. Security guards protect her as they bid park guests farewell.

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