Mmmmm...Pretzels

Yogurt Flavors: Chocolate Decadence, World Class Vanilla, Devil's Food Cake, Butterscotch, Boysenberry, and Candy Cane.

Teacher Day! Teachers can get a small yogurt for 99 cents all day long by showing us their school ID.

The winning number is worth 16 dollars today. (Remember that you must tell us the current number to redeem the elevated amount.)

I don't have a lot of weaknesses when it comes to food. It is pretty easy for me to work here because I don't crave chocolates or candies or the bakery goods that we make. I do however have a soft spot when it comes to pretzels and kolochies. About a year ago, I signed up for Auntie Anne's monthly newsletter because I hands down prefer their wonderful pretzels. The newsletter often sends a coupon for buy one, get one free or other such offers. At the end of the month, it is not uncommon to find me at the mall getting a pretzel. Of course, they also include things other than coupons in the newsletter. This month, they had the history of the pretzel:

610 A.D.-
An Italian monk, his name now lost to history, decided to reward his students by serving them baked scraps of leftover dough. He rolled and twisted the dough to resemble his students, who folded their arms across their chests when praying. After baking the dough to a golden brown, he called the finished product "pretiolas," Latin for "little rewards."

A good idea like this one didn't take long to catch on – "pretiolas" spread throughout Europe and were considered a symbol of good luck, long life, and prosperity. German children, for instance, wore them around their necks to celebrate the New Year, and it wasn't long before they began adorning the tops of Christmas trees.

1510-
A group of Turkish invaders sought to mount a sneak attack against the city of Vienna, Austria, by digging tunnels underneath the walls. But pretzel bakers heard the commotion, sounded the alarm, and grabbed their weapons to help fight off the attack. Their actions were rewarded with a seal that included a depiction of a pretzel.

Mid-1500s-
The German tradition of eating pretzels during Good Friday dinner is introduced.

The classic pretzel's three-hole shape begins to take form. The three holes represent the Christian trinity of "Father, Son, and Holy Spirit," and pretzels are thought to bring luck, prosperity, and spiritual wholeness.

The wedding phrase "tying the knot" got its start when a pretzel was used to tie the knot between two prominent families. The pretzel's loops stood for everlasting love.

1600s-
Hard pretzels were discovered by mistake, when a bakers' apprentice fell asleep by the furnace and let the treats bake "too long." At first, the baker was mad at his apprentice for his carelessness, but upon tasting these pretzels, quickly realized he had an opportunity for something big.

1620-
Pretzels may have made their way to the United States on the Mayflower. It is said that the Pilgrims traded pretzels with the Native Americans for various things.

1800s-
Immigrants from around Europe came to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and brought their pretzel recipes with them.

1861-
The first American hard pretzel factory was opened in Lititz, Pennsylvania. The artisans of the day rolled, baked, and salted pretzels by hand.

1988-
Anne Beiler buys a stand in a Downingtown, Pennsylvania, farmer's market and Auntie Anne's is born.

Today-
Auntie Anne's bakers make 100 million pretzels per year (using enough dough in the process to wrap end-to-end around the earth three times).

Quiz Day: The Reality of Life in Orbit (Space Quiz)



You answered 8 questions correctly out of 10. You're ready to move to orbit if you got all 10 correct. You'd survive a short-duration mission if you got between 7 and 9 correct; between four and six, a sub-orbital flight is more your speed. Less than four? Feel lucky you are still on the ground.

The multiple viewings of the classic 80's film Space Camp finally pays off. I guess I should have paid more attention to the food when I was last in Huntsville, Alabama.


Today's Winning Blogger Number: 113


Comments

Anonymous said…
8 of 10, but I call not fair. NASA souvenir shops ALWAYS have astronaut ice cream. One would think that means ice cream goes up on space missions.

I expect full credit from anyone who gets that question right after reading this comment.
I completely agree. I chose that for the same reason. When I thought about it, the ice cream is used as a luxury item. But it does seem like a bit of a trick question.
Steph said…
7/10...Yeah that dumb ice cream question!

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