By Lynn U. Watson
Are you a connoisseur of big, fresh, chewy, Bavarian-style pretzels—the kind you often find from a vendor in the mall or a special bake shop? They have quite a history, and it’s tied to prayer.
(image from Pixabay)
Legend suggests, it all began with a monk in Italy or Southern France around 610 A.D. Looking for a way to teach children about prayer, he shaped bread dough to resemble arms folded across the chest with the hands resting on the shoulders, a humble position, common for prayer at the time. He called them pretiola or little rewards. He offered them as an incentive for children to learn their prayers well.
Another legend—not such a nice one—suggests bakers in Germany were held hostage by local dignitaries. The pretzel was created in retaliation. (I’m not sure how that would work.)
Historical records have produced no proof of either the sweet little story or the one about the hostage bakers. The pretzel did, however, become the symbol of Bakers and their guilds in southern Germany as far back as the 12th century. Bakers still use it today. Bakery sign pictured here with two lions holding a pretzel, in Gorlitz, Germany.
(public domain)
Alsace in southern France is a mere 91 miles from Baden-Wurttemberg in southwest Germany. The Hortus deliciarum, a pictorial encyclopedia from the Alsace region, contains this 12th century depiction of a banquet with Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus. Look closely. There is a depiction of the knotted bread on their table.
(public domain)
Fun facts about the pretzel:
The three holes the loops create represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Pretzels include no meat, eggs, or dairy, so they were considered appropriate Lenten food.
Pretzel Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent) is celebrated in Luxembourg with a pretzel festival. Boys give their girlfriends pretzels to show how much they like them. The bigger the pretzel the more the admiration. The girl may gift him a fancy decorated Easter egg 2 weeks later suggesting he increase his attention. This ancient custom remains alive in the Swabian Alps.
The Brezel (German name) may have been derived from Latin word brachiola, meaning little arms.
Would you like to make the big pretzels at home? In dread fear of how difficult the task would be, I ordered a book on Pretzel making anyway, and I created my own. There was nothing difficult about them—just lots of twisting, shaping, and waiting. There are many recipes out there. The one I used, contains Pilsner beer and Barley Malt syrup. The beer adds yeast and both add unique flavor. I dipped them in a baking soda bath before baking. They get plenty of compliments.
(my photo)
This is not the exact recipe I use, but very close. Beer Soft Pretzels from Jennifer Meyering.
Little things often have big meaning. The pretzel--a simple knotted bread--reminds us of humility and turning our hearts to God in prayer.
Award-winning author, Lynn U. Watson, is the great-granddaughterr of a baron from Southwest Germany. Snippets of her family's story inspire her fiction writing. Following in her grandmother's footsteps, Lynn sewed for the public--everything from adorable children's outfits to formal and bridal wear. She and her artist husband, Steve, created the Lynn'n Butterfly Collection of counted-cross-stitch leaflets. In 2007, Lynn became a certified reflexologist, and Footsteps in Eden was born. Lynn's touch therapy skills bring relaxation to her clients one pair of feet at a time. Jasmine, the resident feline, runs the place, while Lynn combines her passions and her heritage, Stepping through time, Stitching stories of faith.
(image from Pixabay)
Legend suggests, it all began with a monk in Italy or Southern France around 610 A.D. Looking for a way to teach children about prayer, he shaped bread dough to resemble arms folded across the chest with the hands resting on the shoulders, a humble position, common for prayer at the time. He called them pretiola or little rewards. He offered them as an incentive for children to learn their prayers well.
Another legend—not such a nice one—suggests bakers in Germany were held hostage by local dignitaries. The pretzel was created in retaliation. (I’m not sure how that would work.)
Historical records have produced no proof of either the sweet little story or the one about the hostage bakers. The pretzel did, however, become the symbol of Bakers and their guilds in southern Germany as far back as the 12th century. Bakers still use it today. Bakery sign pictured here with two lions holding a pretzel, in Gorlitz, Germany.
(public domain)
Alsace in southern France is a mere 91 miles from Baden-Wurttemberg in southwest Germany. The Hortus deliciarum, a pictorial encyclopedia from the Alsace region, contains this 12th century depiction of a banquet with Queen Esther and King Ahasuerus. Look closely. There is a depiction of the knotted bread on their table.
(public domain)
Fun facts about the pretzel:
The three holes the loops create represent the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Pretzels include no meat, eggs, or dairy, so they were considered appropriate Lenten food.
Pretzel Sunday (4th Sunday in Lent) is celebrated in Luxembourg with a pretzel festival. Boys give their girlfriends pretzels to show how much they like them. The bigger the pretzel the more the admiration. The girl may gift him a fancy decorated Easter egg 2 weeks later suggesting he increase his attention. This ancient custom remains alive in the Swabian Alps.
The Brezel (German name) may have been derived from Latin word brachiola, meaning little arms.
Would you like to make the big pretzels at home? In dread fear of how difficult the task would be, I ordered a book on Pretzel making anyway, and I created my own. There was nothing difficult about them—just lots of twisting, shaping, and waiting. There are many recipes out there. The one I used, contains Pilsner beer and Barley Malt syrup. The beer adds yeast and both add unique flavor. I dipped them in a baking soda bath before baking. They get plenty of compliments.
(my photo)
This is not the exact recipe I use, but very close. Beer Soft Pretzels from Jennifer Meyering.
Little things often have big meaning. The pretzel--a simple knotted bread--reminds us of humility and turning our hearts to God in prayer.
Award-winning author, Lynn U. Watson, is the great-granddaughterr of a baron from Southwest Germany. Snippets of her family's story inspire her fiction writing. Following in her grandmother's footsteps, Lynn sewed for the public--everything from adorable children's outfits to formal and bridal wear. She and her artist husband, Steve, created the Lynn'n Butterfly Collection of counted-cross-stitch leaflets. In 2007, Lynn became a certified reflexologist, and Footsteps in Eden was born. Lynn's touch therapy skills bring relaxation to her clients one pair of feet at a time. Jasmine, the resident feline, runs the place, while Lynn combines her passions and her heritage, Stepping through time, Stitching stories of faith.
In this Christmas meet-cute, you'll laugh and cry and wonder just how silly things can get with a bunch of kids in a dancing Christmas play. Lyydi and her friend, Summer, lead the children to exclaim, "The baby is the Gift!"
This little bonus story is the bridge between Frayed Promises (book2) and Planted Promises (book 3 upcoming) in Lynn's Promised Destiny series. You'll discover more of Lyydi and Benj's story in Planted Promises where new mysteries and more family secrets will keep you cheering for this couple, and where Nancy Drew style clues will keep you guessing until the end.
This little bonus story is the bridge between Frayed Promises (book2) and Planted Promises (book 3 upcoming) in Lynn's Promised Destiny series. You'll discover more of Lyydi and Benj's story in Planted Promises where new mysteries and more family secrets will keep you cheering for this couple, and where Nancy Drew style clues will keep you guessing until the end.
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