A New Twist

Wouldn't you know the day we went to the Texas State Fair it turned disagreeably cold! The day before had been in the 80's, keeping us guessing as to what clothes to bring.  However, we were able to layer, and  being with family, especially grandchildren, insured a fun time in spite of the weather.  Ducking indoors whenever we could, we watched a dog show, looked at exhibits, and visited a dazzling new car display.

"Do you want to watch a cooking show?" our son, Jamie asked as we came upon a beautiful, stainless steel kitchen area with several rows of seats in front already filled.  I said it would be hard to see that far back, but he pointed to the mirrored wall slanted over the cooking area where we would be able to see perfectly. (I would have done anything to get to sit down for awhile!)

It was set up just like a TV cooking show, with a man coming out and arranging small containers of ingredients to have at the ready.  Then, just before starting time, he donned a chef's jacket and began an entertaining banter about the show and about the restaurant he owns.  He said he was going to make pretzels, and passed out the recipe sheets for us to take home.  Then, as he worked, the chef told us a couple of stories about the origin of pretzels and their peculiar shape.

Stirring, pounding and kneading the dough, our entertainer told a story of how an apprentice baker accidentally dropped the dough in lye water.  At first, he was reprimanded severely, but rather than waste the dough, they put it in to bake, and it came out the distintive golden brown that pretzels are known for.  I couldn't believe I heard him right, but I found out there is a type of pretzel known as lye pretzels.  However, soda water works about as well, which was what he used.

The chef said that the shape pretzels take when they are whirled and looped, then knotted, making a heart, traditionally resulted in their being given as gifts to newlyweds, thus the term "tying the knot."  Another story he related was that pretzels were given to children as a reward for saying their prayers; one can almost see their  bowed heads and folded hands in their shape.

When the dough was ready, the chef took small globs, rolled them into long strips, then cut them into portions for each pretzel.  He said that the surfaces of old-fashioned pretzel boards were marked with cutting guides for each pretzel segment to avoid mistakes.  Taking the rolled-out, cylindrical strip in his hands by each end, he whirled it into the air, crossing and knotting it into the signature shape.  Some were a little lop-sided on the baking sheet, but he assured us they would be delicious.  Too bad we had to leave before the samples were passed out.

There are many stories of the origins of pretzels, and most have a religious or Christian symbolism attached to them.  The three holes formed by their shape are seen as representing the Holy Trinity to some people.  They were often eaten on Friday as a religious tradition.  How amazing that so many things in our culture stem from religious roots!  I will never think of a pretzel in the same way again!