Is Hershey’s typical of American chocolate in general? Whats wrong with it?? It tastes like (ahem! what I imagine) a dog treat (would taste like, were I to taste one).
Seriously, Its gross. Somebody told me that chocolate is similarly… challenged… in Australia and that it might be additives, to stop it melting? Any other theories?
Do people like it?
I seem to always hear about how terible American chocolate is – especially Hershey’s. I have to admit, I don’t understand it. Hershey’s was the chocolate I was raised with, and to me it tastes fine. I like it better than Nestle, at any rate. I admit that I like Dove somewhat better.
Aha! you say – the poor fool was raised with inferior products, and it’s stunted his appreciation and his taste buds. But in other cases, where what I’ve grown up with is the inferior product, once I’ve tasted betterm it’s pretty obvious. I can understand WHY people put down what I’m familiar with, and I prefer the better product (although I may have a nostalgic love for the old stuff).
But not with chocolate. I’ve traveled. I’ve had Swiss chocolate and real Cadbury’s and Ghirardelli chocolate from Ghirardelli square. I’ve had gournet chocolates from around the world.
And Hershey’s still tastes fine to me.
Hershey’s is the quintessential American chocolate. It isn’t horrible (to this American, at least), just sweet and kind of bland, if indeed chocolate can be bland. It’s the Bud Light of chocolate: bland, inoffensive and formulated for mass appeal.
Another vote for the “I Like Hersey’s” camp. I’ve never understood the hatred and disgust for it. FTR, I do like Dove’s chocolate just a bit more.
But you do notice the difference in texture and flavour? I mean, some chocolates have more cocoa, some are sweeter etc. but those just seem… unnatural somehow
moreso than the blandness I hate the texture, its too soft! And I can do bland when I know it’s because its simpler and healthier but I’ve a sneakin’ suspicion that ain’t the case with the Hershey bar.
I dunno. Maybe the one I got (Dublin) spent years on a shelf or something…
Sorry to rag on your cord, man! I just don’t get them
A good fresh Hershey bar has a nice crisp snap to it. I think you got an old one.
Of course! Every chocolate differs from every other.
But I don’t find Hershey’s appallingly bad. I find it quite a bit better than many other chocolates (especially the ones used for most of the chocolate Easter bunnies sold in the US). It’s not as good as Dove or Lindt or others, but not an order of magnitude’s difference anywhere.
As for texture, I find that varies considerably with all chocolates, depending on temperature and humidity. At STP, I don’t find Hershey’s any more objectionable than any other.
The essentials for chocolate, to me, are:
Sadly, Hershey’s fails on the above.
That said, it’s not bad candy. Hershey’s Kisses are nice, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (which incorporate Hershey’s, I believe) are food of the gods.
But it’s not chocolate in any normal definition of the word.
Did you maybe get baking chocolate? Someone help me here but I’m thinking it’s a completely different beast altogether, unsweetened and not particularly pleasant by itself.
I hate it.
I mildly like their dark chocolate, but won’t go out of my way to get it.
You’re right, it doesn’t melt, I think it’s actually made in the fires of hell and therefore used to the heat. 
And Hershey’s Kisses are the worst candy foisted on humans, ever. Yuck.
And I’m a big fan of candy and chocolate so that says alot when a guy can’t stand a certain brand.
Ok, I think you nailed it there. And it also seems the one I ate was probably stale Fine, but can we all agree at least on the nastiness of Budweiser?
And although I’m too lazy to back up the following statement at the present time; I’m not just picking on American stuff for the sake of it!
I do like Hershey’s, the same way I like Kraft Macaroni and Cheese–maybe not as a sterling example of the product it claims to be, but for its own special qualities. If I want chocolate, I eat some Michel Cluizel 85%.
Having said that, you haven’t had bad chocolate until you’ve tried Russian “aerated” chocolate. It’s the pale color of school-cafeteria-chocolate-milk and tastes of cocoa butter and hair oil
I had no idea that people didn’t like Hershey chocolate. I think it’s fab. But then, I have rarely met a chocolate I didn’t like.
I think it’s all about the timing.
A friend of mine visited Hershey’s amusement park and brought back a fresh, we’re talking fresh bar of their chocolate. Incredible. It truly rivaled the Lindt chocolates I ate in Europe, years ago.
OTOH, I remember returning from my trip and looking for Lindt chocolates here - sure, you can find them. They’re usually old and the fruit syrup has generally turned to grains. Crunchy filling, yuck!
I lived in Scotland for a year during college and was surprised to realize how different-tasting the chocolate was there. In particular, because it was local, I really enjoyed Cadbury’s.
I got back to the states, and the Cadbury’s didn’t taste the same - it was more bland. Being the action-oriented guy that I was, I wrote Cadbury and asked why. They actually wrote back and said that the FDA in the U.S. required things like parafin added to the ingredients to extend shelf life, which changed the flavor.
Just thought I would add this direct data to the discussion. I enjoy Hershey’s and other chocolates in the U.S. - but they are formulated differently for this market. I am not sure about chocolate you can buy at specialty stores, etc…
Speaking as someone who has eaten both Hershey’s chocolate and dog treats, I can confirm this is a reasonably apt comparison.
I was just writing that Hershey’s tastes like parafin. I’ll eat it if I’ve got PMS from hell and it’s all I’ve got, but it’s not chocolate. At best, it’s a (barely) reasonable facsimile.
Pepper Mill REALLY likes UK Cadbury, but doesn’t like the US version, for precisely the reason you give. Whenever we or I go abroad, I stockl up on it, and dole it out to her afterwards. I’ve also found a nearby store that sells British goods, where I can get UK-type Cadburys.
That said, I’ve never heard that Hershey’s (or any American chocolate) has paraffin in it. The idea sounds bizarre.
Just out of curiosity, does anyone have an ingredients list from the back of a Hershey Bar? The web seems to be silent on the subject.
Oh my god, you really will eat it all.
I always thought the username was a joke, but I guess not.