Pretzels

Everybody loves pretzels - crispy, brown, salty heart-shaped snacks. You can buy a whole bag for little more than a dollar per sale. They are handy to have around for unexpected company or for munching in front of television. But did you know pretzels have been around for approximately thirteen one hundred and ninety years?

Somewhere both sides of the border in northern Italy or southern France, pretzels were invented by an ambitious monk baking unleavened bread for the Christian Lent. Possibly out of boredom, he made some small shapes with leftover bread dough. Because the Christians in those days prayed with their hands crossed over their chests, he tried to shape the dough to mimic this action. They were baked to a soft bread consistency and given as a treatment for children who memorized their prayers. Monk named his new deal 'pretiola' - a Latin word meaning 'little reward'.

These baked unleavened shapes were soft pretzels we know today, are sold in shopping malls, carnivals, fairs and even grocery stores stock them in the freezer aisles.

From this humble beginning, the pretzel famous throughout Europe. Expression of pretiola can be found in books from this period. The pretzel shape was a symbol of good luck and many thought that the shape was also a symbol of longevity and good health. The pretzel shape decorated many embroideries and other artifacts in Europe.

There is a special coat of arms hanging out of every Austrian pretzel bakery. Coat of arms shows a lion holding a shield with a pretzel shape in the middle. Vienna's king awarded this honor to the pretzel bakers. The story is that in the year 1510, the Turks invaded Vienna tunnel under the city walls. Although it was time for bakers to start the next day's pretzels, they abandoned their baking task to defend the city of Vienna. Bakers invaded the tunnels, using their weapons effectively squash the attack and kill Turks.

It's just soft pretzels found their way to America aboard the Mayflower in 1620, although it was never approved. It is known that enterprising colonists knew the recipe and sold these treats to the Indians, who paid dearly for them.

So how did the hard pretzel spring into existence? Skip to the end of the seventeenth century Pennsylvania. A baker's helper fell asleep trend pretzels baking in the heart.

When he awoke, the flames died, he thought the pretzels had not cooked long enough, and started the fire up again. When Master Baker came in, he was furious that an entire group of pretzels were not fit to eat. In the process of throwing them out, he tasted one and realized that he had hold of something big! Not only did he like the taste of these delicious crunchy bits, but realized because of the moisture is baked out completely, that freshness was preserved and they would stay longer to sell.

Today pretzels come in all shapes and sizes, and many companies experimenting with flavors. Butter-flavored pretzels are favorites that have remained in the public eye. Pretzels are lots of accessories for soups, salads, ENTREES and tavern owners will attest, beer.