The Twisted History of the Pretzel
It can happen without warning. Suddenly you’re hit with a snack attack! If you are looking for a tasty treat to tempt your tummy, why not grab a handful of pretzels? Before you bite into one though, take a closer look. Why are pretzels made in that crisscrossed knotted shape, and where does the name “pretzel” come from anyway? Which came first: the hard pretzel or the soft pretzel?
Many claim that the pretzel was invented around 610 by an Italian monk who gave them to children as a reward for memorizing their prayers. The name may have come from the Latin word pretiola, which means “little reward.” The monk chose the crisscrossed shape because it reminded him of the way children were taught to cross their arms when they prayed. His clever invention was so popular that soon bakers throughout Europe were making the tasty, twisty treats. Others claim the pretzel got its start in France or Germany.
Pretzels became a symbol of good luck and prosperity. In the 1400s, street vendors sold pretzels door to door. In medieval Germany, townsfolk welcomed shoppers and traders to the famous Frankfort Fair by riding out and offering them Geleit-pretzels stuck on their spears. Receiving the doughy treats from armed escorts helped protect visitors from being robbed by bandits.
In 1510, an event took place that set the pretzel on the road to fame and glory. Ottoman Turkish armies were marching across Europe, capturing everything in their path. They arrived at the city of Vienna, Austria, only to find that it was protected on all sides by a high stone wall. Try as they might, the Ottoman Turkish army could not climb over the wall. So they decided to dig a tunnel beneath it. Working under the cover of darkness, they planned to invade the city at night and catch the Viennese army off guard.
Little did they know, Viennese pretzel bakers were busy at night, too. While baking their treats for the next morning, the bakers heard the suspicious sounds of digging from their cellar bakeries. They quickly sounded the alarm to warn their fellow citizens of the surprise attack. No one was more surprised than the Ottoman Turkish army when they found the Viennese army waiting for them at the other end of the tunnel!
In honor of their quick thinking, the Austrian emperor gave the pretzel bakers their own coat of arms. The pretzel, with its distinctive shape, still appears on the bakers’ coat of arms today.
Legend has it that in the late 1600s, the hard pretzel was introduced in Pennsylvania by accident. A baker’s assistant fell asleep on the job. He woke to find that the fire in the oven had gone out. Worried that the batch of pretzels was ruined, he yanked the trays out. His boss was none too pleased — until he tasted a pretzel. Much to his surprise, he found the extra baking time had turned the soft pretzels into a crunchy, delicious treat.
Whether you prefer hard or soft pretzels, remember that you are munching on a snack that stopped a war. Why not celebrate National Pretzel Day on April 26 with a pretzel party?