One woman, 23 Dolly Parton-approved holiday dishes, and a perfect fall day: This is Iconic Eats. Adriana is wrapping up season four with a pretty red bow at Dollywood!
We've celebrated the holidays at parks like Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and even Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. But few places get as festive as Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This theme park is co-owned by none other than Dolly Parton herself. And in honor of the holidays, Dollywood is celebrating a Smoky Mountain Christmas—complete with plenty of festive entertainment, six million lights, and lots of cozy Christmas food.
The food at Dollywood's A Smoky Mountain Christmas fuses all of your favorite holiday flavors with a hearty dose of Southern comfort. And with as many decadent and delicious items available at the park, it's nearly impossible to decide what to try. Thankfully, our host Adriana Redding ate her way through the park to find the best of the best.
We've celebrated the holidays at parks like Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and even Holiday World in Santa Claus, Indiana. But few places get as festive as Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. This theme park is co-owned by none other than Dolly Parton herself. And in honor of the holidays, Dollywood is celebrating a Smoky Mountain Christmas—complete with plenty of festive entertainment, six million lights, and lots of cozy Christmas food.
The food at Dollywood's A Smoky Mountain Christmas fuses all of your favorite holiday flavors with a hearty dose of Southern comfort. And with as many decadent and delicious items available at the park, it's nearly impossible to decide what to try. Thankfully, our host Adriana Redding ate her way through the park to find the best of the best.
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LifestyleTranscript
00:00 I can't do the leg click thing.
00:02 I can't do the leg, hold on.
00:03 (laughing)
00:07 I don't know why I want it to be like a musical.
00:11 It would need to be like a Christmas,
00:13 iconic East musical where we like eat and sing and dance
00:17 all at the same time.
00:18 It's like, it's a lovely Christmas.
00:20 (upbeat music)
00:23 Hey guys, it's Adriana.
00:27 Okay, you guys have asked us so many times,
00:31 go to Dollywood, go to Dollywood for Christmas.
00:34 Go to Dollywood for Christmas.
00:37 And we're here.
00:38 We traveled all the way to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
00:41 to come to Dollywood to see it during Christmas.
00:44 It's a Smoky Mountain Christmas, y'all.
00:46 I am so excited.
00:48 We are going to see this beautiful park in the daytime,
00:52 but then also in the nighttime.
00:54 And there is over 6 million lights.
00:57 So when the sun goes down,
00:59 this whole park is gonna sparkle
01:01 just like Miss Dolly Parton would.
01:03 I am ready to try all of the food.
01:07 This is a Christmas special, y'all.
01:09 We're gonna have cookies, cupcakes, milkshakes,
01:12 hot chocolate, something called wassel,
01:14 turkey, pot roast, mac and cheese, flatbreads.
01:17 And it's not an iconic Eats episode
01:20 without an iconic food item.
01:22 I have heard so many times,
01:24 when you go to Dollywood,
01:25 you have to try the cinnamon bread.
01:27 And we are finally gonna get it.
01:29 It is wafting through the parks.
01:31 I can smell it now.
01:32 I am so ready.
01:34 This is iconic Eats.
01:37 (screaming)
01:39 (upbeat music)
01:44 (upbeat music)
01:46 I know you're gonna want me
01:57 to not just get to walk through here.
02:00 I have to walk all the way around.
02:02 Do we ever question this?
02:05 Why am I doing this?
02:06 There's no one else here.
02:08 Okay, I am so excited.
02:11 Can you tell?
02:12 Can I get a red velvet whoopie pie?
02:16 It's as big as my hand.
02:18 - It's as big as your face.
02:20 - I mean, I got a big face, but.
02:21 (upbeat music)
02:27 We are at the Spotlight Bakery.
02:37 It is our first stop of the day.
02:39 As you can see, I'm very excited
02:40 because it's gonna be so much sugar.
02:44 Just like the previous episode,
02:45 we're starting with all of the sweet stuff first.
02:47 So this is the red velvet whoopie pie.
02:50 Ooh, all right.
02:51 We have lots and lots of cream cheese filling.
02:54 It looks amazing.
02:55 It looks soft.
02:56 Look how pillowy.
02:58 Ooh.
02:59 You ready?
03:02 Get in slow-mo.
03:04 We start slow-mo early.
03:07 (upbeat music)
03:10 I didn't need teeth for that.
03:15 It's a pillow and it just disintegrated
03:18 into lovely, yummy red velvet goodness in my mouth.
03:23 Come on.
03:24 Yeah. - Okay.
03:24 - You need to bite this.
03:26 - Okay.
03:27 Ooh.
03:28 - Uh-huh, uh-huh, you didn't need teeth.
03:30 It disintegrate.
03:31 - Yeah, you can take your dentures out.
03:34 Oh, oh, oh.
03:38 Oh, wait, what?
03:40 - This red velvet whoopie pie
03:41 is blessing us this morning, okay?
03:44 Get it.
03:45 That's the only thing I can say.
03:46 We have a gingerbread people,
03:48 'cause you don't know what this gingerbread
03:49 identifier says, okay?
03:50 I really love that they're called gingerbread people.
03:53 It's just like, it's so with it.
03:55 It's so hip.
03:56 And of course, Miss Dolly is gonna be with it.
03:59 - You did what I would do.
04:02 You were savage.
04:03 - Mm-hmm.
04:04 It is like that roasty, toasty flavor
04:06 that you associate with a fresh baked cookie.
04:10 Even though it's fresh baked, it's not hot.
04:12 Okay, does that make any sense to you?
04:13 Like what a cookie tastes like
04:15 when it's fresh out the oven and hot,
04:17 and you're just like, mm.
04:18 But this is not hot, and it has that same flavor.
04:24 It's just good.
04:25 I already love this cookie, okay?
04:29 We're still at the bakery, and it's sugar.
04:31 I expect for this to be really soft and yummy.
04:34 (upbeat music)
04:37 I like that sugar cookies taste like underbaked.
04:42 It's like nice and soft and doughy,
04:46 and has like that like good sugar cookie flavor
04:49 that you like enjoy,
04:51 where it's almost just like slightly done dough.
04:55 - Classic?
04:56 - Mm.
04:57 Classic Christmas.
05:00 I feel like for other reviews, I say a lot like,
05:02 oh, it tastes like somebody's grandma made this.
05:04 Oh, somebody's grandma is in the back making these.
05:06 That's what this is.
05:08 - Now you're doing three cupcakes.
05:10 Three cupcakes are next.
05:13 - I feel like I could be done.
05:16 I just want to eat the rest of my cookie.
05:18 But the cupcakes do look good, so let's try those.
05:21 It's a hot cocoa cupcake.
05:24 Look at the little snowman.
05:27 It's a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese icing,
05:30 regular cream cheese,
05:31 and then like this is like a chocolate cream cheese.
05:33 It is so delicious.
05:35 I learned that people eat their cupcakes like this.
05:39 I don't want to smash him,
05:41 but they like make a whoopie pie out of,
05:44 this is the most uneven whoopie pie cupcake joint
05:48 I have ever seen.
05:49 But some people do it like this,
05:50 and that makes it like more of a better ratio
05:52 of like cake to frosting.
05:54 It is the same icing as the whoopie pie,
05:56 and that's why I love it so much.
05:58 - That poor snowman.
06:04 He's in there, he's just like, "No, help me.
06:06 Help me."
06:09 It doesn't really taste like hot chocolate.
06:11 I think it would taste delicious with hot chocolate.
06:13 I think the only thing they did was add chocolate,
06:16 or like cocoa to the cream cheese icing,
06:19 and that's what makes it like more chocolaty.
06:22 But it's good, it's delicious.
06:25 There's more cupcakes to try,
06:26 so let's go get another one.
06:28 I got a cupcake and they playing Christmas music.
06:32 It's an eggnog cupcake, we about to eat it today.
06:36 (laughing)
06:38 Two seasons in, I'm really letting my personality show, okay?
06:43 (laughing)
06:46 I wish you guys could smell this,
06:47 it smells just like eggnog.
06:51 All right, this is their infamous cream cheese icing again,
06:55 but with eggnog flavor, and you can see the nutmeg in it.
06:59 And I'm gonna try to take a good bite.
07:01 (upbeat music)
07:03 At this part of the episode,
07:05 I would normally compare cupcake to cupcake,
07:07 but we got one more cupcake,
07:08 so let me go get that cupcake,
07:10 and then I will compare all three to each other, okay?
07:12 - Yeah. - All right.
07:13 (upbeat music)
07:16 (upbeat music)
07:19 I swear it's our last cupcake.
07:36 This one is the red velvet peppermint cupcake.
07:40 One thing they believe in at Dollywood
07:42 is making something red velvet,
07:43 and I am A-okay with that.
07:45 All right, so we have a red velvet cupcake
07:47 with that regular buttercream ice cream that is red,
07:50 and then that cream cheese ice cream as well,
07:53 ice cream, I'm like icing, cream cheese icing as well.
07:57 And then they pop an Andes mint chocolate right on top.
08:02 For this one, I wanna break it, okay?
08:04 Oh no!
08:10 - It matches your shoes.
08:13 (upbeat music)
08:15 - Mm, mm, wait.
08:19 I got a crunch because there's peppermint pieces in it.
08:27 Crunchy and soft and sweet and delicious and minty.
08:30 Mm, and I never thought anything
08:34 could overpower the flavor of red velvet, but it does.
08:36 There's more mint than red velvet.
08:38 So if we're gonna compare all three cupcakes,
08:41 hot chocolate, eggnog, and peppermint,
08:46 I'm gonna go with the eggnog.
08:48 The eggnog had the most flavor,
08:49 it was the most inventive to me, it was the most different.
08:52 Make me a judge on cupcake wars or something,
08:54 because I am a cupcake aficionado at this point.
08:58 I need a drink, but not just any drink, a milkshake.
09:03 Let's go, Chelsea.
09:10 Mint shake!
09:11 Okay, Chelsea, have you noticed my outfit?
09:15 Do I look like a Christmas dream?
09:17 Do I look like this is the cover
09:18 of my very own Hallmark movie?
09:21 When I was picking out this outfit,
09:23 I wanted to panel the Dolly Parton herself.
09:26 So I thought this would be very appropriate.
09:29 She always is in a pantsuit.
09:31 I felt like that was very her, modern.
09:35 Skin tight to show off the body.
09:38 And then, just like a Santa, a Santa fit, a Santa moment.
09:42 Two days ago, when we first got here,
09:44 me, Chelsea, and Julia went shopping.
09:46 So I was gonna add one more thing
09:48 and to get some accessories.
09:50 So we saw these butterflies,
09:51 and Dolly really likes butterflies.
09:54 I love this story because it's very similar to my own.
09:57 But because butterflies can fly,
10:00 they symbolize freedom and being free.
10:02 And when I first moved to my own apartment,
10:05 I collected butterflies and birds too,
10:07 and had them as little decor because I felt free.
10:10 And so, if Miss Dolly, if you see this outfit,
10:13 I hope I made you proud.
10:15 I hope you like it.
10:17 Oh, let's go get a shake.
10:18 Smokey Mountain Christmas.
10:21 (humming)
10:25 Eggnog milkshake.
10:26 One of my favorite Christmas drinks is eggnog.
10:29 I know, controversial.
10:30 This is a dry part.
10:31 The only thing that I wish that I had
10:34 was a little bit of (clicks tongue)
10:35 to put in it.
10:36 Let's try it.
10:37 Mm.
10:39 She's thick.
10:43 So I love eggnogs when they only have
10:46 like a slight eggy flavor to them,
10:48 not like a big punch of egg.
10:50 'Cause certain eggnogs, like if you make a homemade eggnog,
10:52 it tastes like eggs.
10:55 But this one, this is like, it's light, it's light.
10:57 It has lots of nutmeg in it, cinnamon, allspice,
11:01 all of like the good Christmas flavors
11:04 that you enjoy in your eggnog.
11:06 But in a wonderful milkshake package.
11:08 So it's gonna cool you off if it's hot.
11:11 Or if you just like a person who likes
11:13 to have milkshakes on cold days.
11:15 'Cause there's people out there like that.
11:17 Then this is perfect for you.
11:18 (upbeat music)
11:22 Whoa.
11:35 Chocolate peppermint ice cream sandwich.
11:38 All right, so we got two chocolate cookies.
11:41 They look great.
11:43 With vanilla ice cream and just rolled
11:48 in so much peppermint.
11:50 It's so pretty.
11:52 Oh, oh, oh.
11:54 Oh, ooh.
11:56 That is cold.
11:57 So it's like when you have a piece of gum in your mouth
11:59 and then you drink cold water at the same time
12:01 and the inside of your mouth feels like
12:03 it is quite literally the North Pole.
12:06 That's exactly what this is doing.
12:08 Because it's like cold ice cream,
12:10 but then it's like peppermint at the same time.
12:13 And so when you eat it, your whole mouth is like.
12:16 But it's delicious.
12:20 - Are we ready for savory?
12:23 Is that what's next?
12:24 - Uh-huh.
12:25 - Wow.
12:26 - I am on a sugar rush and I'm gonna crash.
12:30 So I need some savory to keep it going.
12:33 Let's go.
12:33 (festive music)
12:39 Hello.
12:48 Can I please have a Christmas toasty?
12:51 Oh, I cannot tell you how ready I am
12:59 for this Christmas toasty.
13:01 We just got through eating all of those confections.
13:04 A lot, a lot of sugar.
13:05 I finally, I need savory.
13:07 My mouth is ready.
13:08 This is a Christmas toasty.
13:10 It is turkey pot roast, Brussels sprouts,
13:13 cranberry aioli, dressing, Swiss cheese,
13:18 all on a buttery roll.
13:20 This is very hot.
13:21 Hot and fresh.
13:23 I think it's gonna be the theme of the day.
13:25 I'm gonna try to eat this
13:26 without scolding the inside of my mouth.
13:28 (laughs)
13:30 Oh my God, wait a minute.
13:33 It is toasty.
13:34 It is Christmas.
13:36 I was wondering if like turkey pot roast
13:39 was different from like just regular like sliced turkey,
13:42 if they like simmer it or do something special to it.
13:45 It looks like it's like fresh carved turkey though.
13:48 Like there's edges on it.
13:49 So like, it's like jelly carved turkey,
13:51 not like a fresh turkey.
13:54 There is a lot and lots of like seasoning
13:58 and this stuffing.
13:59 There's celery, there's green pepper.
14:01 It is giving me all of like the homey, warm flavors
14:05 that you want during Christmas.
14:07 And then to have like just a bucket of gravy
14:12 to dip it in afterwards.
14:14 I'm a dip before you.
14:19 That's a good dip.
14:22 I'm just gonna like, you can't hold it.
14:24 I'm just gonna put it in your mouth.
14:25 - What?
14:26 - Pass the camera into your mouth.
14:28 How was that?
14:32 - I'm so happy.
14:34 - All right, second savory item.
14:37 I really wanna call the second item of the day.
14:39 Sweets don't count.
14:40 All right, so this is the chicken pot pie in a bread cone.
14:43 Sometimes I think in life, soup is amazing.
14:46 The only thing that makes soup better
14:48 is if it's in a bread bowl or a bread cone.
14:52 All right, so this is like your traditional pot pie filling,
14:56 but inside of like a homemade, like toasty,
15:01 warm bread tortilla-esque type of thing.
15:06 Everybody knows the best part of chicken pot pie
15:07 is the filling, so let's just dig right in.
15:09 I don't, do I have to explain to you
15:11 what's inside of a chicken pot pie?
15:12 No, okay.
15:13 What if the whole review was just me making sounds?
15:22 It was like no notes, just like.
15:23 (humming)
15:26 So far, am I emotional already?
15:30 This is, this is about to be a really fun episode.
15:35 This is like Christmas,
15:37 every Christmas food you can think of,
15:39 but they like revamp it and redo it
15:42 and like do it in this really fun way.
15:43 So the Christmas toasty was like Christmas dinner,
15:47 but in a sandwich.
15:48 And then this is like your traditional grandma's pot pie,
15:51 but handheld and walkable.
15:53 It's walkable.
15:54 - Wait, is this a cornucopia of pot pie?
15:57 - It's a cornucopia of pot pie.
16:00 (laughing)
16:07 (upbeat music)
16:11,
16:22 chili potato tornado.
16:35 All right, so we just walked over to the marketplace.
16:39 It's right next to the place we were just at.
16:42 So, you know, just a little bit over.
16:44 This is the chili potato tornado.
16:47 How many times have I said that?
16:49 We have tried something similar to this at Universal.
16:52 It is called a Swiss Dictator Universal,
16:55 but in Dollywood, it's cousins name,
16:57 it's country cousin is named a potato tornado.
17:02 It has chili, cheese, green onions,
17:05 and then like a zesty seasoning on it.
17:08 (laughing)
17:09 Oh, and it is just sitting.
17:11 Wow.
17:13 Wow.
17:13 I hope it looks as good on the other side
17:17 as it looks on my side.
17:19 I feel like my side is real sexy.
17:21 - Oh yeah.
17:22 (laughing)
17:23 Wow.
17:24 - Wow.
17:25 - Wow.
17:26 - Maybe the potato's gonna be sexy.
17:27 - I know, okay.
17:28 I want to just like.
17:30 - Yeah.
17:32 Savage.
17:37 - I need help.
17:38 - What do you want me to do?
17:40 - No, just let it happen.
17:41 - And can you tell that I'm enjoying myself?
17:43 You heard that?
17:44 I have never had a twisted tater that crunched like that.
17:50 That's why you gotta get the potato tornado.
17:52 The potato tornado, you can get it plain.
17:55 I think it's a really good snack,
17:56 but if you get it with like the meat and the cheese
17:59 and all of the stuff on top,
18:01 I think it's like a more heartier option of a snack.
18:05 So it might not fill you up completely,
18:07 but it's gonna get you somewhere.
18:09 The bottom pieces are the best.
18:11 It's just like potato chips and cheese and chili.
18:16 I mean, no, because I got to try more.
18:20 You're not leaving me anywhere.
18:22 I'm not ready for this to be over.
18:24 The adventure continues.
18:26 (upbeat music)
18:29 (laughing)
18:34 This is the red velvet funnel cake.
18:36 It is a red velvet batter made into a funnel cake
18:40 with a cream cheese frosting on top.
18:43 And then it is topped with whipped cream
18:45 and then more funnel cake pieces topping.
18:49 It is a monster.
18:52 You gonna get everything fresh here at Dollywood.
18:54 And like, as it should be.
18:57 (laughing)
19:01 Hmm.
19:02 Dolly is serenading me.
19:08 I am eating a red velvet funnel cake.
19:11 This is my Christmas dream.
19:15 (upbeat music)
19:18 Because we're at a theme park
19:23 and I can't come to a theme park
19:25 without giving you the best advice.
19:27 Before we go to our next spot,
19:28 I have to tell you guys about the restaurant
19:30 we ate at yesterday.
19:31 It is called Aunt Granny's, not Auntie Granny's.
19:34 Apparently I'm saying it wrong.
19:35 Aunt Granny's.
19:36 It was so good.
19:39 It is a all you care to eat, family style dining,
19:42 sit down location.
19:43 There was fried chicken, catfish, macaroni and cheese,
19:46 cabbage.
19:47 It was delicious.
19:48 Me and Chelsea were so full and so happy.
19:52 I highly recommend it.
19:53 (upbeat music)
19:56 (upbeat music)
19:58 This is the stuffing stacker.
20:17 I keep asking for cornbread dressing
20:20 and they finally gave it to me here at Dollywood,
20:22 but it is called the stuffing stacker.
20:25 Look at this.
20:26 This is what the cornbread dressing really looks like.
20:28 It is a ready, beautiful, yellow, not brown,
20:33 just beauty.
20:38 Oh my word.
20:41 She's hot and she's fresh.
20:43 Could I, I would like to live in this,
20:49 right here in this pile.
20:50 It's just warm and delicious and amazing.
20:54 Okay.
20:55 Let me explain to you why I like cornbread dressing
20:57 more than I like stuffing.
20:59 Cornbread dressing is like sweet.
21:02 It's made with cornbread, but there's sage,
21:04 fresh sage in it.
21:05 So it just has like the most distinct,
21:10 like just Christmassy flavor.
21:13 I associate it with the holidays and like,
21:15 it just, it's very different from stuffing,
21:18 which is made with bread.
21:19 It's $13.99.
21:21 This is just a bowl of everything that you want.
21:26 And it's not going to be the prettiest item on the menu,
21:28 but it's the most filling.
21:30 It's the most satisfying.
21:31 It is a hefty, heavy girl.
21:34 It is all of the starches plus a little meat on top.
21:37 And what else would you want during Christmas dinner?
21:40 But this.
21:41 - Feed the camera woman.
21:42 You'll never feed Chelsea.
21:44 She's starving.
21:47 - I read the comments.
21:48 She's not starving.
21:48 She eats everything.
21:50 (laughing)
21:52 Chelsea, review time.
21:54 (laughing)
21:58 This is the turkey campfire skillet.
22:01 It is pot roast, turkey, potatoes, onions, and peppers.
22:06 They going to give, what they going to do,
22:07 they going to give you a lot of food.
22:08 I'm just going to dig in and stop playing with y'all.
22:11 It's yeah, this is, it's pork and turkey at the same time.
22:16 I don't know if you can see the distinction of like
22:19 the difference between the pork and the turkey.
22:21 I feel like once they're all together in the gravy,
22:25 it tastes similar.
22:26 Both dishes that I just tried are very similar
22:28 in texture and flavor.
22:30 If you had to choose between the two,
22:32 I would definitely go with the turkey stuffing stacker
22:36 because that one just like made me feel homey.
22:40 And I liked the mashed potatoes instead of like
22:43 the roasted potatoes and the cranberry sauce on top.
22:45 But I feel like that's the only thing
22:46 that this one's missing.
22:47 I want that same cranberry sauce,
22:49 but they're both the same feeling.
22:51 If you like pork, do this one.
22:52 If you just like turkey and cornbread stuffing, then do that.
22:57 (upbeat music)
23:00 These are the Chipotle turkey nachos.
23:14 This is the same turkey that we've been having
23:16 with that pot roast turkey.
23:18 But this time they put Chipotle and honey in it.
23:21 We have cheese, we have white queso,
23:23 we have a pico de gallo, like a simple pico,
23:26 just like tomato, onion, and then jalapeno.
23:31 I have what is the perfect bite.
23:34 It's got all the cheeses, a little bit of the meat,
23:37 a whole jalapeno, that's good.
23:39 You just can't go wrong with nachos at a theme park.
23:44 No matter how you do them, they're always gonna be good.
23:47 It's always gonna feel right.
23:48 It's the appropriate place to have them.
23:51 And you could go crazy with the toppings.
23:55 It could have more on it.
23:56 It could have sour cream on top of it.
23:59 It could have guacamole on top of it.
24:00 But just the turkey with that slow roasted turkey
24:04 with the Chipotle and the honey,
24:06 it gives it a little bit of sweet, a little bit of spicy,
24:09 a little bit of savory.
24:10 It's delicious.
24:13 I wanna see how many other ways they can make this turkey,
24:16 'cause I'm obsessed.
24:17 So the last three we had come from the same place.
24:21 They all have that roasted, hot roast turkey.
24:25 Amazing.
24:27 They're all $13.99.
24:28 Out of the three, I would go with the stuffing stacker
24:32 that should be called a dressing stacker,
24:34 because it's cornbread dressing in it.
24:37 These turkey nachos good though,
24:39 but that's gonna be the best bang for your buck.
24:43 You ready, Chelsea?
24:44 Let's go!
24:45 (upbeat music)
24:50 Specialty mint hot chocolate.
24:56 So we have Andy's mint chocolates on top,
24:58 and then we have peppermint pieces, marshmallows,
25:01 and then obviously it's sitting in whipped cream.
25:04 Let's try.
25:06 Even though we have all of this mint on top,
25:11 it isn't like a big punch of mint.
25:13 Like it's just like, it swam by and hung out.
25:17 And now you have Andy's chocolate pieces on top
25:20 that you can just dip and have a good time with
25:23 while you're sipping your hot chocolate.
25:26 We have more hot chocolate to try though.
25:28 So let's get another one.
25:41 I promised you guys another hot chocolate,
25:42 and it is another specialty hot chocolate.
25:45 This is a toffee hot chocolate.
25:47 It is hot chocolate, cold foam,
25:50 and then toffee pieces on top.
25:53 I am ready for it.
25:55 Wait, the cold foam, the cold foam makes it different.
26:02 It's not the same as like a regular hot chocolate
26:05 with whipped cream on top.
26:06 It's a fresh whipped cream.
26:09 It's delicious no matter what it is.
26:12 For me, I don't like scalding hot drinks.
26:14 I can't drink them.
26:15 Like some people like they drink super hot.
26:17 The cold foam like really cools it down.
26:19 So you have to get like a big slurp of the cold foam
26:21 before you get a little bit of the hot chocolate.
26:23 And once it's in your mouth, it's the perfect temperature.
26:26 And I am happy.
26:27 We just saw the Zali Express.
26:30 Very similar to the Polar Express.
26:31 It is a real cold train.
26:33 And apparently it is a war hero.
26:35 It was a train that was used in World War II.
26:38 It is historical.
26:40 That train is quite literally older than me
26:42 and it is in fine working condition
26:44 with a very loud horn.
26:47 We hung out in the park and it like,
26:49 doot doot, and it was so loud.
26:50 And anywhere in the park that it is,
26:52 you can hear it and real smoke bellows out.
26:55 It is really magical.
26:57 This is a smoky mountain Christmas for real.
26:59 This is wassail.
27:01 It's a real fancy way to say apple cider,
27:04 but with more seasoning.
27:05 Okay, so wassail is a traditional Yuletide drink
27:10 that you make for when people come to your house.
27:14 Like if you get carolers or if like,
27:16 you know, gift giving, like Yuletide offerings,
27:20 they bring you something, you give them wassail.
27:23 Well, sailing is like the term for it,
27:26 but I'm pretty sure it smells and looks like apple cider.
27:30 Let's try it.
27:31 (upbeat music)
27:34 So it's like, like I said before,
27:38 it's like an apple cider with like much more seasonings,
27:40 like a little bit more allspice than you think.
27:44 You know, more nutmeg than you think.
27:46 There's probably an orange or two
27:48 sitting around in the brew.
27:51 It's really, I just like imagined this orange like,
27:55 just hanging out.
28:00 But it's sweet, it's apple,
28:01 it makes you feel like you are in a Christmas,
28:06 I don't know, a Christmas car.
28:08 Is this my Hallmark moment?
28:09 Me hanging out in front of the trees with my wassail.
28:13 (upbeat music)
28:16 We are at Iron Horse Pizza
28:24 and this is the Margarita Flatbread.
28:27 It is red, white, and green.
28:29 So we have a red sauce, our fresh mozzarella cheese,
28:33 and a lovely, delicious smelling pesto.
28:38 I don't, this is really,
28:40 what, they cut it like that?
28:44 It's so big.
28:45 I'm gonna have to like break it up.
28:47 The train is back.
28:48 It's that whistling sound in the background.
28:51 It's just, you know, back there steaming
28:54 and I'm ready to try this pizza.
28:56 Ooh.
28:56 If you tell me that this is better than New York,
29:03 I'm gonna be so mad.
29:04 I'm already mad.
29:06 You know what?
29:07 I didn't say anything yet!
29:09 Aside from New York pizza, you know?
29:13 Like we're not even including, we're in Dollywood.
29:15 New York pizza has no place here.
29:17 This is their very own flatbread and it is delicious.
29:20 Like I love, I love a pizza margarita.
29:22 It's simple, it's classic, it's red, white, and green.
29:25 It's making you think of the holidays
29:27 and like it's a lighter option.
29:30 You know, a pizza sounds heavy,
29:32 but like when it's a margarita pizza, it's not that much.
29:36 You know?
29:37 So you're not like super full.
29:38 So this is $12.99.
29:39 If they would have cut it differently,
29:42 I would say you legitimately would have got
29:45 six squares out of it.
29:47 Definitely shareable.
29:49 Definitely you and your family can like have a little snack
29:52 to keep you moving.
29:53 And then you can ride some rides and get some more.
29:55 We're still technically at the, like the pizza hut.
29:58 You can get this from the pizza hut,
29:59 but we came over here because it was so pretty.
30:01 This is the loaded potato soup.
30:04 So it is loaded with potatoes, bacon, cheddar, herbs, chives.
30:09 Mm.
30:12 Ooh.
30:14 Okay.
30:16 I love when I'm like eating soup
30:17 and I can tell they used heavy whipping cream, you know?
30:22 Like this is rich.
30:24 It is creamy.
30:25 The cheddar has like a nice punch to it.
30:28 Not too much bacon.
30:29 Just adds a little bit of smokiness.
30:32 And then like the herbs is what makes it like
30:35 - Chunky.
30:36 - Taste, oh, a chunky, chunky.
30:39 Taste.
30:39 - I think you just knew what I meant.
30:40 - Herby.
30:42 This is so good.
30:43 It's hearty.
30:43 It's just what you want on like a cold,
30:47 smoky, melted Christmas.
30:49 This is not a full average.
30:51 It is a full advertisement.
30:52 This park is so gorgeous.
30:57 Oh my gosh.
30:58 And the lights are all on.
31:01 Oh, okay.
31:02 So I have a Dollywood fact for you guys
31:06 that I absolutely love.
31:07 All right.
31:08 So this park originally was not owned by Dolly Parton.
31:10 It was not called Dollywood.
31:12 It was actually owned by the family
31:13 that owns Silver Dollar City.
31:15 And so Dolly Parton was getting interviewed
31:17 by Barbara Walters.
31:18 And she asked her like, what's your dream?
31:19 What's next after this?
31:20 She goes, I don't know.
31:21 I really want to own a theme park.
31:23 And so the people who own this park saw that interview
31:26 and they called Dolly up and they was like,
31:28 you want a partnership?
31:29 We got a theme park for you.
31:30 How cool is that?
31:32 I feel like that's like the perfect moment to let you know,
31:35 like you need to tell everybody what your dream is.
31:37 Cause you never know who's listening.
31:38 Getting a little chilly.
31:40 Julia, my cake please.
31:42 (laughing)
31:44 - It's time for you to go in the line.
31:55 - No!
31:56 I feel like it's my runway.
31:58 Oh, thank you.
32:00 (laughing)
32:03 - Okay, now order your mac and cheese like that, please.
32:07 (laughing)
32:11 - I feel ridiculous and that's great.
32:13 - If you don't feed me.
32:17 - You know what?
32:18 Look, okay.
32:19 Let me, let me get through it first.
32:21 This is the pot roast mac and cheese.
32:23 They're mac and cheese with a slow roasted pot roast on top.
32:27 And then we got some like crunchy onion topping.
32:31 It looks amazing.
32:32 You know what, Chelsea?
32:34 BTS moment.
32:36 Chelsea has told me twice that I better feed her a piece
32:40 of this macaroni and cheese.
32:41 And it is the season of giving.
32:44 So you know what?
32:45 You get.
32:46 - Julia, give me a bite.
32:47 I love you.
32:49 - You get the first bite.
32:50 - I get the first bite?
32:51 - Yes, yeah.
32:52 - What?
32:52 - That's a big deal.
32:54 This is a Christmas miracle.
32:56 (laughing)
32:58 - Chelsea review time.
33:00 - Wait, my mouth is too full.
33:01 - Oh my God.
33:02 - Hold on, hold on.
33:04 This is a hot take.
33:05 Dollywood mac and cheese is the best theme
33:07 by mac and cheese period.
33:09 You guys heard it first.
33:10 Chelsea said this is the best theme park macaroni and cheese
33:13 and she's been to just as many theme parks as I have.
33:17 She's just as much of an expert as I am, okay?
33:20 So I'm a believer and I'm gonna take a bite.
33:22 It's good.
33:26 This pot roast is some of the most tender pot roast
33:32 I have ever had.
33:33 Like it is, you know, when you're like,
33:35 it's fall off the bone tender.
33:37 You don't need, you can cut it with a fork.
33:40 This is what they were talking about.
33:42 And like, not just tender because it falls apart,
33:45 but like, think about the in between the meat, you know,
33:49 like the tendons that hold it together, it's just butter.
33:52 But then the mac and cheese like, oh.
33:54 These are the noodles that Julia likes.
33:56 Julia likes when they're like spirally noodles.
33:59 Come on, come in here.
34:07 It's so good, right?
34:08 - The crunch of the fried onion.
34:09 - Oh my God.
34:11 Okay, so you get creamy, cheesy, savory, crunchy,
34:14 all in the same boat.
34:17 It's perfect.
34:18 This is a three bean chili.
34:19 You wanna know what the three beans are?
34:21 Cannellini, kidney.