The city of Speyer prides itself to be the "pretzel town", and around the second weekend of July, from Friday to Tuesday, it holds an annual funfair and festival called "Brezelfest", which is the largest beer festival in the Upper Rhine region, and attracts around 300,000 visitors. In Bavaria, lye pretzels accompany a main dish, such as Weisswurst sausage. [25], The city of Osnabrück celebrates the anniversary of the Peace of Westphalia (1648) and organizes an annual hobby horse race for grade-four children. Within the Christian Church, pretzels were regarded as having religious significance for both ingredients and shape. [24], A variety typical for Upper Franconia is the "anise pretzel". © 2020 A&E Television Networks, LLC. [26] In heraldry, the city seal of Nörten dates from around 1550 and depicts two facing lions holding a pretzel at the center.[27]. 2 teaspoons kosher salt. The lye pretzel is the theme for a number of festivals in Germany. But in 1935, the Reading Pretzel Machinery Company introduced the first automated pretzel maker, which enabled bakers to put out some 245 pretzels per minute, compared with the 40 per minute an individual worker could make by hand. In celebration of National Pretzel Day (April 26), explore the history of this popular snack food, from the seventh century to today. In return, if a girl wants to increase his attention, she will give him a decorated egg on Easter. Using the dough left over from bread making, he formed the pretzel shape, which was meant to look like a child's arms folded in prayer. The pretzel booths on the main street are permanently installed and were specially designed when the whole downtown area was redone for the 2000th anniversary. Pretzels are baked fresh daily at The Pretzel Man. info)) is a type of baked pastry made from dough that is commonly shaped into a knot. Pretzels were hidden on Easter morning just as eggs are hidden today[citation needed], and are particularly associated with Lent, fasting, and prayers before Easter. The legend goes like this: A young monk was preparing unleavened bread for Lent, the Christian period of fasting and penitence before Easter. [2][7][8] In Germany, there are stories that pretzels were the invention of desperate bakers held hostage by local dignitaries. In 1861, Julius Sturgis founded the first commercial pretzel bakery in the town of Lititz in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Viipurinrinkeli, a pretzel from Viipuri, Finland (now Vyborg, Russia), Party food in Japan, pretzel sticks called pretz, A street vendor in Kraków, Poland, selling pretzels (labeled precle in Polish), as well as obwarzanki krakowskie and bagels, Brașov pretzels with poppy seeds and salt. [22] On the same occasion in Rhenish Hesse and the Palatinate, people have parades carrying big pretzels mounted on colourful decorated poles. Pretzel legend has it that in 1614 in Switzerland, royal couples used a pretzel in their wedding ceremonies (similar to how a wishbone might be used today) to seal the bond of matrimony, and that this custom may have been the origin of the phrase “tying the knot.” In Germany—the country and people most associated with the pretzel throughout history—17th-century children wore pretzel necklaces on New Year’s to symbolize good luck and prosperity for the coming year. The soft pretzel was the first type invented. [43] The privately run "Pretzel Museum" opened in Philadelphia in 1993, but is now defunct. Though we can find both hard and soft pretzels in the United States, the kind of pretzels you can eat like chips are uniquely American, and have been since 1861, when they were first invented. The Spanish, French call it bretzel, the Italian brezel, the Dutch favor sweet variants called krakeling, Norwegian and Danish call it a kringle, and the Swedish call it kringla. Around Christmas, they can be made of soft gingerbread (Lebkuchen) with chocolate coating. Deselect All. Large-scale production began in the first half of the 1900s, more so during 1930 to 1950. In modern times, pretzels come in a wide range of shapes. A thicker variety of sticks can be 1.5 centimetres (1⁄2 in) thick; in the U. S. these are called Bavarian pretzels or pretzel rods. Sizes are usually similar; the main differences are the thickness of the dough, the content of fat and the degree of baking. He had twisted the dough to represent hands folded in prayer. Today, the children come from schools, but they still get the pretzels. In Bavarian pretzels, the arms are left thicker so they do not bake to a crisp and contain very little fat.[17]. Contestants are chosen to be crowned Pretzel Prince and Princess and a festival mascot by the name of "Pretzel Bill" (stemming from the Billerbeck Bakery name) dresses as a 6-foot tall walking talking pretzel who hands out pretzels from floats and takes photos with the local festival goers.[52]. All Rights Reserved. In the city of Lübeck, the 500-year-old guild of boatmen on the Stecknitz Canal call their annual meetings in January Kringelhöge (Pretzelfun). In the U.S., they come in many varieties of flavors and coatings, such as yogurt, chocolate, strawberry, mustard, cinnamon sugar, cheese and others, and chocolate-covered hard pretzels are popular around Christmas time and given as gifts. The same dough and baking procedure with lye and salt is used to make other kinds of "lye pastry" (Laugengebäck): lye rolls, buns, croissants, and even loaves (Laugenbrötchen, Laugenstangen, Laugencroissants, Laugenbrot). In particular, the large Italian-American population of Philadelphia made pretzels an … Dense, Chewy and beadlike describe the iconic Philadelphia soft pretzel. We serve more than 5.7 million pretzels per month, and more than 68.6 million pretzels per year — that’s more than one billion pretzels since 1998! Eventually, this led to the development of an ice cream cone tasting like a pretzel. The pretzel has been in use as an emblem of bakers and formerly their guilds in southern German areas since at least the 12th century. [35], In the 20th century, soft pretzels became popular in other regions of the United States. The Catholic Church played a leading role in the early history of the pretzel. On finishing the race, they are presented with a sweet pretzel. Pennsylvania produces 80% of the nation's pretzels. Cities such as Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York became renowned for their soft pretzels. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. Julius Sturgis opened the first commercial pretzel bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania, in 1861. Whatever they may have been called, the popularity of these twisty treats spread across Europe during the Middle Ages. One rumor has it that the doughy knots came over on the Mayflower, and were used by the Pilgrims for trade with the Native Americans they met in the New World. The pretzel, in German, brezel, is a type of bread product made from dough that most everyone thinks of as the knot-like shape. [2] According to legend, as cited by several sources, including The History of Science and Technology, by Bryan Bunch and Alexander Hellemans, in 610 AD "... [a]n Italian monk invents pretzels as a reward to children who learn their prayers. Very quick and easy pretzel bites with two dipping sauces. The pretzel is an old European symbol that has become associated with bakeries. The immigrants became known as the Pennsylvania Dutch, and in time, many handmade pretzel bakeries populated the central Pennsylvania countryside, and the pretzel's popularity spread. Sizes can range from 30 cm (0.98 ft) up to 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and they can weigh up to 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). Hence, the name "Pretzelfun" was adopted, because this gift was considered a highlight. Starting at 2 a.m., Schmid hits … Unlike the soft pretzels, these were durable when kept in an airtight environment and marketable in a variety of convenience stores. Its texture and flavour resembles rusk or zwieback. Snack food hard pretzels are made in the form of loops, braids, letters, little pretzels, or sticks around 3 millimetres (1⁄8 in) thick and 12 centimetres (5 in) long; they have become a popular snack in many countries around the world. It will keep for up to three days in the refrigerator. He called the snacks pretiola, which means little reward in Latin. [36][37] The key to success was the introduction of the new mass production methods of the industrialized age, which increased the availability and quantity, and the opening up of multiple points of distribution at schools, convenience and grocery stores, and entertainment venues such as movie theaters, arenas, concert halls, and sport stadiums. [3][4][5][6] Another source locates the invention in a monastery in southern France. Baked goods depicting religious iconography. Today, Pennsylvania remains the American pretzel-making capital, as a full 80 percent of U.S.-made pretzels come from the Keystone State. Though they originated in southern Germany (as well as across its borders in Austria, Alsace and German-speaking Switzerland), pretzel production crept north of what Heinzelmann calls the Pretzel Belt, roughly halfway up the country, again thanks to industrialization. The average Philadelphian today consumes about twelve times as many pretzels as the national average. These are shortly boiled in water before baking and afterwards sprinkled with salt. [47], Hard pretzels originated in the United States, where, in 1850, the Sturgis bakery in Lititz, Pennsylvania, became the first commercial hard pretzel bakery. On Laetare Sunday in Luxembourg, the fourth Sunday in Lent, there is a festival called "Pretzel Sunday". If you are making it ahead, be sure to use cool whip instead of whipped topping because it doesn’t soften the pretzels … In the Rhineland region, sweet pretzels are made with pudding-filled loops (pudding pretzels). The German name "Brezel" may derive also from Latin bracellus (a medieval term for 'bracelet'),[12] or bracchiola ('little arms'). Pretzels—or those who made them—took a particularly dramatic turn in the spotlight in 1510, when Ottoman Turks attempted to invade Vienna, Austria, by digging tunnels underneath the city’s walls. I love every single item the sell and highly recommend The Pretzel Man to all friends of German cuisine or simply great bakery.- Jana C Pretzels, made of a simple mixture of water, flour and salt, were an ideal food to consume during Lent, when all types of meat, dairy and eggs were prohibited. Making Lent pretzels is a way to remember that Lent is a season of prayer. [46] Philly Pretzel Factory stores offer a free pretzel to each customer on this day. In Polish it is precel, in Hungarian and Croatian it is perec, and in Serbian it is pereca. The thicker part makes it easier to slice them for the use of sandwiches. It needs at least four hours to set up, or preferably longer. 1 package active dry yeast. There are numerous unreliable accounts regarding the origin of pretzels, as well as the origin of the name; most assume that they have Christian backgrounds and were invented by European monks. These "New Year's pretzels" are made in different sizes and can have a width of 50 centimetres (20 in) and more. Certain (unverified) sources claim the pretzel first appeared back in 610 AD, when a monk in Italy baked strips of dough and folded them into a criss-cross shape as a reward for those of his students who had learned their prayers. (Port City Daily photo/Alexandria Sands) All items are made from scratch. No matter where you are, a pretzel from Philly Pretzel Factory tastes like home. Butter-filled pretzels are also commonly sold under this name. Pretzels made with a simple recipe using only flour and water could be eaten during Lent, when Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, lard, or dairy products such as milk and butter. In southern Germany and adjoining German-speaking areas, pretzels have retained their original religious meanings and are still used in various traditions and festivals. These bread treats were called pretiola, Latin for "small reward." Sturgis also claimed credit for developing the first hard pretzels—or at least, for being the first to intentionally bake hard pretzels (rather than leave the soft ones in the oven too long by accident). [18][19] An old tradition on Palm Sunday dating back to 1533 is the outdoor pretzel market (Brezgenmarkt) in the Hungerbrunnen Valley near Heldenfingen. [14], Like the holes in the hubs of round Finnish flat bread, ruisreikäleipä, which let them be hung on poles suspended just below the kitchen ceiling, the loops in pretzels may have served a practical purpose: bakers could hang them on sticks, for instance, projecting upwards from a central column, as shown in a painting by Job Berckheyde (1630–93) from around 1681. In earlier times, the children were very poor, coming from an orphanage, and each received a Kringel (pretzel) as a reward. The average American consumes about 1.5 pounds of pretzels per year. In the seventh century, the church dictated stricter rules governing fasting and abstinence during Lent than it does today. He used these creations as treats for children that learned their prayers. The pretzel was invented sometime around the 6th century A.D. â‹… Legend has it that a monk/baker was fooling around with some leftover dough, and twisted it until it resembled a person’s arms crossed in prayer (which was the traditional posture for prayer back then). Pretzels originated in Europe, most likely among monasteries in the Early Middle Ages. Thank you for bringing the taste of home to Eastern North Carolina! The word Pretzel is derived from a German word that means “little arms.” The twisted shape of pretzels is meant to resemble two arms crossed in prayer. More recently Mars, Incorporated manufactures M&M's with a small spherical pretzel covered in milk chocolate and candy coated in all of the standard M&M's colors, called "Pretzel M&M's". But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Sprinkle … [44][45] In 2003, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell declared 26 April "National Pretzel Day" to acknowledge the importance of the pretzel to the state's history and economy. That means it took over 900 years for someone to decide that covering them in chocolate was a good idea! New Year's pretzel in a Stuttgart bakery (Swabia), Pretzel from Burg, typically carried around the neck, In the late 18th century, southern German and Swiss German immigrants introduced the pretzel to North America. Strawberry pretzel salad is best when made at least half a day in advance. In the 20 th century, pretzels became very popular in large cities. The unique twisted knot shape of a pretzel is one of its defining characteristics.. Pretzels are made of a simple mixture of water, flour and salt.. Pretzels are an ideal food to consume during Lent, when all types of meat, dairy and eggs were prohibited.. Pretzels, or pretiolas as they were first known, had their humble beginnings around 610 A.D. in the region between the south of France and northern Italy. Since our founding in 1998, we’ve made enough dough to circle the earth 14 times. Schloss Burg is renowned for a 200-year-old speciality, the "Burger pretzel". He received his original pretzel recipe as a thank you from a down-on-his-luck job seeker after Sturgis gave the man dinner. [23] The cultural importance of the pretzel for Burg is expressed by a monument in honour of the pretzel bakers, and by an 18 km hiking trail nearby called "Pretzel Hiking Trail". [16] Baked for consumption on the same day, they are sold in every bakery and in special booths or stands in downtown streets. "The Baker | Worcester Art Museum : Job Berckheyde, (1630-93), "Wandern: Der Brezel-Wanderweg um Schloß Burg (Tour 31536) - Tourenblatt", "Büro für Friedenskultur | Steckenpferdreiten", "Nörten-Hardenberg - Heraldry of the World, Wappen, Gemeindewappen", "Druckversion speyer.de | Das Brezelfest", "New York Times, Lead, November 13, 1988", "Historical Photo Archives of Philadelphia Pretzel Vendors", "Free soft pretzels for National Pretzel Day", "Machine Speeds Pretzel Bending | Modern Mechanix", "RootsWeb's WorldConnect Project: The Horner Family Of Carroll County, Illinois (And Nearly Everyone Else)", "City of Freeport, Illinois, Visiting Freeport", "Basic Swing: Pretzel Dance Move Tutorial", "Images of spandex pretzel design Bikini", "Making Soft Pretzels the Old-Fashioned Way", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pretzel&oldid=991554800, Articles with dead external links from April 2017, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2017, Articles with trivia sections from May 2017, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, A circulating internet video shows a press conference of US president, This page was last edited on 30 November 2020, at 17:48. 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