A
pretzel is a baked good that is traditionally twisted into a unique
knot-like shape. The pretzel dough is made from
wheat flour,
water,
brown sugar and
yeast. Prior to baking, it is dipped into a
sodium hydroxide (NaOH),
sodium carbonate (Na
2CO
3), or
sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO
3) solution and sprinkled with coarse salt, which gives it a glazed look. During baking, a
Maillard reaction then gives the pretzel its characteristic brown color and distinctive flavor. In
Bavaria it is a standard component of a
Weisswurst breakfast.
Sources differ as to the time and place of the pretzel's origin. Its use in the emblems of bakers in Southern Germany at least since 1111 is documented. The 12th century Hortus Deliciarum from the Southwest German (now French) Alsace may be the earliest depiction of a pretzel. It remains very popular in Southern German regions of Swabia and Bavaria where it is known as Brezl and Brezn, respectively. In northern Germany, where it is less popular, it is known as Brezel.
Within the Catholic church, Pretzels are regarded as having religious significance and are particularly associated with Lent.[1] In his Astronomia Nova, Johannes Kepler states that if we assume that the Earth is the center of the universe, we must accept that the planets travel in a loopy path "with the appearance of a Lenten bread ('panis quadragesimalis)" i.e. a pretzel.[2]
There are cold, warm, soft, chewy and hard pretzels. Pretzels are most common in Southern Germany (Swabia and Bavaria) and neighboring German-speaking Switzerland, where they are often sliced horizontally, buttered and sold as "Butterbrezn". They are also sold with a soft filling, most often cheese. Cities in the United States like Philadelphia, Chicago, and New York are also famous for their soft pretzels.
