...in the US, anyhow....
Pretzels are a staple to the Bavarian diet-snacked on whilst having a Mass or two in the Biergartens, or filled with sandwich fixin's...the pretzel figures prominently here. School kids grab a buttered pretzel from the bakery on their way to or from school. Babies mouth them before they sprout teeth. Here they are soft and large and slightly salted. They are the perfect, delicious food on the go. They invite sharing. The subtle saltiness leads you to stay for one more beer, and they help soak up that beer in your tummy. They are the perfect partner for
Obatzda or Weisswurst.
Monks are credited for the invention of the Pretzel, baking strips of dough folded over to represent a child's arms folded in prayer. It makes sense that they invented the pretzel as they were the ones making the beer!
Pretzels are readily accessible here in Munich-in restaurants, at the Biergartens, in our bakeries, at the train stations-I have even seen ones that are frozen and ready to pop into the oven so you can have them fresh (maybe on a Sunday when things are closed here...)!
There is a lot of good information about the lovely pretzel on the
Wikipedia page. Have a look, and then go get yourself a pretzel and celebrate! Although, as you have probably figured out, a pretzel a day around here is a normal thing! Happy Pretzel Day!
For those of us on this side of the ocean (where it is Nat'l Pretzel Day), this is a cruel, cruel post because pretzels here are nowhere near as good as the ones in your picture. :) Now I have even more Heimweh.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean, Harvey-those hard ones that they sell in boxes called "Bavarian Pretzels" do the real ones no justice at all...do you think if I posted one to you it would make it there ok? :o] sorry for the homesickness...
ReplyDeleteCarey - I love the thought. Thanks. Although it would probably end up as one of those Bavarian Pretzels from Snyder et al. :) Now I have to look through my German and Bayrisches Kochbuch collection to see if I can find a doable recipe.
ReplyDeleteMy German fiance and I are two of those people who buy the "ones that are frozen and ready to pop into the oven so you can have them fresh." They are absolutely delicious! Really, I don't find that they loose anything in the freezing process and when they come out they are so steaming warm and fluffy...the Gouda and butter just melt into them :-)
ReplyDeleteWA-my Tengelmann never has the frozen ones, otherwise they would be a constant around here too! :o]
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