Breaking bread: the history of the pretzel

The pretzel has a history as twisted as the snack itself. Baked in knotted, figure-of-eight designs, it’s an ever-evolving foodstuff. Continuing our series on global bread culture, we’ve looked into this beloved bake and its history, and have gone in search of the very best pretzels out there.

A brief history

The origins of the pretzel have been heavily disputed, and its evolution no less tumultuous. Certain (unverified) sources claim the pretzel first appeared back in 610 AD, when a monk in Italy baked strips of dough and folded them into a criss-cross shape as a reward for those of his students who had learned their prayers. These were called ‘pretiola’, Latin for ‘little rewards’. Conflicting accounts connect the Latin term ‘bracellae’ (‘little arms’) to the German ‘brezel’ – the national nickname for this tasty snack – claiming that pretzels were the invention of a group of desperate German bakers that were held hostage by a group of prominent public figures. Yet further accounts suggest the pretzel’s first bake took place in a monastery in France. The only thing historians can agree on is the pretzel’s Christian connotations. Throughout the Middle Ages, pretzels began to infiltrate Europe, even making an appearance in the 12th-century encyclopedic text Hortus Deliciarum, where they were depicted as a mainstay of any feast. Thought of as bearers of prosperity and luck, these knotted breads were often given to the poor as a way of providing them with spiritual as well as actual nourishment.

But the historic tale of the pretzel gets even more heroic. During the 16th century, the Ottomans attempted an invasion of Vienna, burrowing a tunnel under the city wall at night. Little did they know though that a few of the city’s residents would still be awake. Monks baking pretzels in the monastery were working through the night and were said to have heard the digging. They rapidly alerted the city to this, whose defences responded and thwarted the Ottoman attempts at invasion. The bakers were later rewarded with their own coat of arms, made of up of a number of angry-looking lions holding a pretzel that can still be seen hanging above the doorways of European bakeries today.

The bake

For the pretzel dough, flour, yeast and water are mixed and combined, before salt, milk, malt extract and melted butter are added and everything is kneaded into a fine dough. Then comes the crafty bit; the dough is shaped by a series of folds, twists and eventually knots, before being left for a short period of time until they’re dipped in an alkaline solution (known as lye). This solution gives them their signature burnished crust. Finally dusted with rock salt and baked, these salty snacks are best enjoyed warm and toasted. You’ll find a variety of different styles depending on where you go, especially in Germany where toppings include caraway seeds, almonds and lashings of icing, while simple salted numbers are often served with traditional weisswurst and sweet mustard.

Where to find them: Brezel Bar, Berlin

Pretzels (or brezels in Germany) are everyday snacks, best eaten warm from overflowing bakery counters or stalls on street corners. That said, Brezel Bar in Kreuzberg is a local institution, and is exceptionally good at pretzels – if the name wasn’t enough of a clue. Located just off trendy Bergmannstrasse, it’s here where freshly baked pretzels, generously studded with rock salt sprinkles, complement meat and cheese spreads for a breakfast to keep you going throughout the day. Stay nearby at Hotel Johann.

Bäckerei Erbel, Dachsbach

Lavishly praised and adored by both locals and international gastronomes, Bäckerei Erbel is a haven for bread lovers. The bakery dates back to 1680, and is run by a man who has inherited his baking techniques from a long line of ancestors. Here, ‘breze’ (the Bavarian term for brezels) are lovingly hand rolled and twisted into elaborate curves before being baked. The end result is nothing short of special; coffee-coloured crusts, dusted with salt, snap enthusiastically when broken in half, giving way to a soft, springy centre. The taste and method is true food artistry, so be sure to pick up a selection to go (though eat them quickly as pretzels only last a few hours) as you wander through the bakery’s cobblestone courtyard. Head to Maison De Vacances for the night.

Spyer Brezelfest, Speyer

For pretzel-lovers, the Brezelfest is a mandatory stop. A folk festival conjured up as an attempt by the town of Speyer to attract new visitors, its popularity has meant it has become something of a tradition in the area – over one hundred years later. Partly a celebration of the Speyer pretzel, it’s the largest beer festival in the Upper Rhine region, with a ‘Pretzel Parade’ that flows through the streets of Speyer. Attendees will also be able to watch annual attempts to break the world record for the largest group of people organised into the shape of a pretzel (a record that was set by the people of Speyer in the first place). But the pretzels themselves are still the focus of attention – grab one of these and munch your way through the festivities, until it’s time to retreat to the half-timbered, Gasthaus zum Halbmond.

One reason to try them

While there’s no such thing as a genuine love potion, pretzels have long been thought of as symbols of luck and spiritual nourishment, even coming to symbolise undying love through their interlocking loops. Folk legend suggests that in Switzerland, noble couples broke pretzels in wedding ceremonies to seal the bond of matrimony – allegedly where the term ‘tying the knot’ was coined.