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Archive for ‘Hershey’ posts

Jan 24 2011

Coming soon . . . Valentine’s Day

Hershey / Lancaster / PA / Pittsburgh - 2 years ago -

My adorable felt Valentine's Day set. Want one for yourself? Go to etsy.com and find TomomoHandmade. Great stuff.

If your house is anything like mine, I make my own V-day plans. And it usually involves chocolate in one way or another.  I’ve found some new ways to celebrate this year. Best of all, if I plan wisely, my fun can be spread out throughout all of February.  Check these out:

Dreadnought Wines and McCormick and Schmick‘s are partnering for a Valentine’s Wine Dinner called Savor Your Sweetheart. It’s being held at M and S’s downtown Pittsburgh outpost on February 10th at 6 PM.  The menu includes courses using smoked lobster, oysters, scallops and other goodies. And it concludes with a dessert of white chocolate mousse. Each course is paired with the perfect wine, selected by the delightful  Mike and Deb at Dreadnought  Seating is limited, so contact the restaurant at 412.201.1156 or banquets100@msmg.com to reserve your space. Cost is $70 per person (plus tax and gratuity.)

Another idea is to drive south of the Burgh to the Christian Klay Winery for a Chocolate and Wine Lovers Delight on Saturday, February 12 from 1 until 3 PM.  It’s $15 per person and reservations are a must!  Call 724.439.3424 to reserve your space.  This sounds like the perfect way to spend an afternoon.

While you're at The Hershey Hotel, stop and admire the cupcakes.

A little way out from Pittsburgh, but an easy drive, is Pennsylvania’s chocolate heaven,  Hershey.  As you can imagine, there’s a lot going on there in February. The website,  www.chocolatecoveredfebruary.com, has all the details.  For just a peep into the festivities, read on. The fancy Circular Dining Room at The Hotel Hershey is hosting a Chocolate Dinner Extraordinaire with a menu  that includes Dark Chocolate Braised Beef Short Ribs and Ancho Pepper Cocoa Dusted Grilled Striped Bass.  Or you can Create Your Own Candy Bar, attend a  Wine and Chocolate Pairing or sit in a Whipped Cocoa Bath at their spa. Oh boy. Sign me up.

A chocolate tour of Lancaster often includes a stop at the Wilbur factory.

My third idea is if you want to venture even further east towards Lancaster.  The Chocolate and Wine Tour of Lancaster County sounds amazing.  Five B and B’s are participating in this tour, which includes a chocolate dessert buffet and a four course chocolate focused dinner, as well as a tour of local chocolatiers. I already have some favorites out that way. . . Wilbur Chocolates in Lititz and Haute Chocolate Cafe in Manheim Township  as well as   Wertz Candies at the Brickerville  House  Shops, but I am always up for something new. (I’m signed up for this tour, so if you go, make sure you look for me and say hello!)

Don’t let Valentine’s Day come and go without a little sweet treat for yourself.

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Apr 22 2010

Chocolate Heaven – A Day in Hershey

Hershey - 3 years ago -

There’s a lot to do in Chocolate Land.  Hershey Park, Hershey’s Chocolate World,  Hershey Gardens.  I wonder how many folks are so pooped out from roller coasters and roses that they end up missing a real gem, The Hershey Story. Located near the rest of the cocoa craziness (craziness is not a bad thing)  right there on Chocolate Avenue, The Hershey Story building houses lots of  intriquing memorabilia from Mr. Hershey, a Chocolate Lab, an upscale cafe, a Chocolate Tasting and a pretty sweet (ha ha) gift shop.  Impressive.

Chocolate Tasting in the Cafe

Even though it was only 10 am, I was already up for a chocolate tasting.  Six shot-size glasses were filled with thick,creamy mixtures of  warm chocolate from different countries.  A helpful placemat described each type of chocolate. Like a wine tasting, I was to look for flavor nuances . . fruity, nutty, oaky.  Except this was chocolate. Even better.

What a way to start my day!

The Chocolate Tasting isn’t a group activity so you just order it at the Cafe and then take your time savoring every last drop.  Just when I had emptied my little cups of melted heaven, it was time for  class in the Chocolate Lab, a spiffy, white room designed to look a like a food science laboratory.

After some background on the history of chocolate and a little cocoa trivia , we were instructed on how to make a chocolate tulip that can be filled with mouse, fruit or ice cream.

Dipping balloons to make chocolate tulips

After a quick stop at the Outlets at Hershey, it was time for a break. And for me there’s no better place to relax and get a feel for the Hershey countryside  than at The Inn at Westwynd Farm.  I’ve stayed here three or four times now, and every time I wish I could hang around just a few days longer.  Cookies, brownies and cakes greet you, the rooms are delightful and the breakfasts, delicious.

The back of The Inn at Westwynd Farm

After checking in, I sat in a rocking chair on one of the many porches and watched the  horses go for a spring gallop as I thought out a strategy on how to avoid the big bowl of Hershey’s candies that host Carolyn Troxell puts in every room. Needless to say, the best laid plans . . . .

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