Old Fashioned Yummy!

  It was bright and early as we boarded our vans and headed to Clemmons, NC for day 4 of 4-H Jr. Chef Academy.  Today we were headed to a cookie factory.  Not just any cookie factory but the factory where they make Mrs. Hanes' Moravian Cookies.  The cookie recipe has been passed down for generations in the family and each and every cookie is still made by hand.  What made this tour even sweeter was that we got to sample each and every cookie flavor, 6 in all, along our tour.
  Our first stop was to see the cookies being rolled our and cut.  In the back of the big room they also have the ovens where the cookies are baked.  It was really neat and we figured out these ladies have some serious arm muscles because they roll out lots of cookies each day.  At this stop we tasted their number one best seller, the ginger cookie.
We then ventured back to where the cookie orders come in.  Our tour guide told us at Christmas time it is very very busy back here.  We learned about the different equipment and how many cookies they sell (its a whole bunch) at various times of the year.  At this stop we tested the black walnut cookie.
We then travelled behind the back doors of the store area and went to the heart of this cookie factory to meet Big Bertha.  Big Bertha is the mixer that they make the cookie dough in.  Folks come to the plant at three in the morning to start the process of making cookie dough.  they couldn't tell us how much of the ingredients they use, but we know its a lot.  At this stop we got to taste the butterscotch cookies (which we think may have been Miss Shea Ann's favorite).
From the dough mixing room we travelled down the hall to see the cookie packing room.  This was so cool because one lady had been doing this so long she could tell by the feel of the cookies if she had the right amount that she was packing in special napkins and wrapping to place in the tins.  They do thousands of orders and some for famous people too who really like their cookies like Quincy Jones and Neil Diamond.  At this stop we tested the chocolate cookies.
A little further down the hall we learned about the history of the company which started at Mrs Hanes' mother's home and grew and grew.  We learned about the cookie cutters and the Moravian star.  It was really neat to see the old timey ovens they used to make the cookies in and learn how they use different cookie cutters for different cookies.  At this stop we tested the kid favorite, the sugar cookie.
  From there we went to the shipping area.  We learned how they pack the cookies for shipping and minimum breakage.  We also learned that they have to make sure the ginger cookies are packed by themselves because they are so strong they will over power the other cookies.  Here we tried the last flavor, lemon.  It was so lemony without being tart.  Lots of folks said it was their favorite.   At that point it was time to say good bye to our tour guide and pick up our cookie orders on the way out the door.  It was a great day and we couldn't wait to tell our parents about the trip, right after lunch.
  We headed to Old Salem for lunch.  While we were checking out old timey things why not an old time town.  We did a walking tour and got to see a bakery where they use a wood oven to make bread, cookies, and cakes.  We talked with the baker and learned lots about what he does.  After our walking tour we headed to the Tavern in Old Salem.   This is a really cool restaurant.  It is family owned and operated.  The owner meet us at the door and told us about the history of the restaurant.  The kitchen in actually in the basement and they send the food upstairs using a series of dumbwaiters.  Its really cool.  George Washington even slept next door to the Tavern when he came to Old Salem to see an irrigation system the town had devised to get water from a local spring into the town. The owner of the restaurant's son is the chef and the entire family works at the restaurant.  The waiters wear period costumes and the hamburgers we had were the biggest and most wonderful burgers we have ever had.  After a great lunch at the Tavern it was time to head back to Robeson County.  We had a great time and can't wait to share our stories.  We hope to have one more as tomorrow is our final day and will be bittersweet.