PA Culinary Firsts

     Recently it was brought to my attention that the Keystone State has a number of significant food firsts.  Here are the facts:

1. The state where the pretzel was created has more pretzel bakeries than anywhere else in the nation.

2. Pennsylvania leads the country in sausage production.

3. D. G. Yuengling & Son of Pottsville is the oldest operating brewing company in the United States.  On the day that Prohibition was repealed in 1933 the company delivered a special celebratory shipment of their beer.  That immediately caused suspicion since the brewing process takes 3 weeks to complete.



4. Pennsylvania is home to no less than 6 regional potato chip companies:  Herr's, Utz, Martin's, Bon Ton, Bickel's and Snyders.

5. Peeps are manufactured in Bethlehem, PA at the Just Born Candy Factory.  Each New Year's Eve in that town a giant Peep is lowered from a crane at the stroke of midnight.



6. Kennett Square is the undisputed Mushroom Capital of the world that the town can attest since it maintains a year round aroma of the fungus.

7.  And with a sweeter aroma in mind, Hershey, PA is the Chocolate Capital of the U.S. where the street lamps are shaped in the form of Hershey kisses, first produced there in 1907.