"These pretzels are making me thirsty!" -Cosmo Kramer
Pretzels are funny creations when you think about it. Without actually looking up the history of a pretzel I just imagine someone got bored with straight bread and decided enough was enough. Let's have some fun, twist this sucker, brush on a little butter, and throw some salt on it. Now that's probably not accurate at all, but in my mind it sounds more fun. Then to make life even better they served it up with some beer - PURE GENIUS.
I remember as a kid every time we went to the mall we got a soft pretzel from Auntie Anne's. I used to love a hot salted pretzel from there. Today it's about the only thing that makes going to the mall tolerable. Now, however, I'm more ambitious in my pursuit of hot twisted bread and I make it myself. Granted, they aren't on par with Auntie Anne's, but they are hot and suffice in a pinch. Plus they are pretty easy to make minus the twisting part. So yeah, sometimes I have to make them straight or into bite size pieces. There's no shame here. Either way it's still a pretzel and when has a pretzel ever steered you wrong? So, if you're feeling adventurous I suggest finding a friend, family member, significant other, and go try and make a handmade pretzel. You won't regret it.
Now on to dipping. I might be stumbling into a controversial topic here but the best dipping sauce has to be a good beer cheese dip. You mustard loving people can keep that stuff to yourselves. I'll let you chocolate or caramel people slide because that's technically dessert anyway. And for all you straight up pretzel eating people that's ok too. Sometimes simple is better.
Of course, after you've made the pretzel, dipped it in beer cheese, and taken a bite, you have to wash it down was something. Beer would be my recommended choice. Go ahead and drink whatever beer suits your fancy. I'm sure there is a rule for which beer, but come on, life is too short to always play by the rules. If you aren't into beer or you're not old enough for the libation, may I suggest a nice cold Coke. And for all you people here in the south when I say Coke I really mean Coke. That is a topic in and of itself for another time.
So what have we learned? There aren't many things better than a hot pretzel, some warm beer cheese, and a cold beer. I'll take it any day of the week, any time of the year. Preferably after a donut and before the ice cream, but this is America so do what you want. You could probably even put them all together if it hasn't been done already. Now go grab a hot pretzel and sieze the day.
P.S. I'm sorry again to the gluten intolerant crowd for the back-to-back post about things that contain gluten. Still not sorry to the gluten free people who don't have an actual gluten intolerance. Don't get it twisted, you people are still going to survive.
See the instagram post here