A Chocolate Bar a Day Keeps Dementors Away

For as long as I can remember, I've been a constant grocery store tag-along. I'd like to think that once in a while I actually contribute something worthwhile to these trips, but mostly it's just an opportunity for me to get really hungry and drop a few subtle hints about what might fit extra nicely in that cart. By the end of the trip, I'm not the only one with a major case of the munchies. Within arm's reach of just about every check-out stand is a bountiful display of candy bars, often at the price of three for a dollar, just perfect for my parents and me. Mom and Dad will often opt for a different type of candy bar ever time, but I always know exactly what I want: a Hershey almond bar.

Hershey isn't the most glamorous chocolate out there. Its taste is sweet and creamy but not overpowering, not really the type of candy you must eat with your eyes closed, relishing every bite with exaggerated appreciation. It's exquisite in its simplicity, however. There's something so homey and downright American about the skinny little bar with its name pressed into it. Milton Hershey, who shared a birthday with my brother (and, interestingly enough, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory author Roald Dahl), gave us all a flavor to savor.

When I think of Hershey, I think of the gorgeous amusement park I've visited several times, watching the chocolate-making process, sniffing the scented air and feeling like I have a hunch of what it might be like in Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. I think of M*A*S*H and the episodes in which that little bar of chocolate made a harrowing day just a little bit brighter in the midst of wartime. Mostly, though, I just think of that delicious, comforting taste, with crunchy almonds to break up the monotony of a vast expanse of flat chocolate. I eat around the edges, leaving as many of the almonds as I can for the last few yummy bites. Unlike a hefty Cadbury fruit and nut bar, the basic Hershey almond bar is scrawny enough that I always gobble it up in one sitting. It helps that it isn't partitioned into handy squares - though the King Size bar is.

I see that this particular listing is for a box of 36, and I suppose I should admit that I don't think we've ever actually had a box of 36 Hershey almond bars in the house. That, I suspect, is a good thing, because it wouldn't last long with me around, and if the aim was fundraising, I'd probably just buy the lot myself. Each bar contains 210 calories and 14 grams of fat, but who's keeping track? Not me! After all, Remus Lupin always advised chocolate in the face of adversity. That is one prescription I will take gladly, and if I slip in a preventative dose here and there, it ought to keep the ol' Dementors at bay for a long time to come.