Pretzels was [Sca-cooks] Happy Assumption

[Decker, Terry D.]

Apocryphal, AFAIK.  Although pretzels appear in some 15th Century (and
later) German woodcuts.  IIRC, you'll find one of them in Cindy Renfrow's
collection of food illustrations.

According to the legend, pretzels were first created by a monk in Southern
France or Northern Italy around 610 CE as an unleavened Lenten bread to be
used as a treat for children who recited their prayers.  They were
originally called "pretiola" meaning "small treasure" or "little reward."
This later became "bretzel" when they were shaped like a "B" and commonly
"pretzel."

Another tale, that they were first made by monks in 1800, who formed the
dough to represent hands in prayer is patently false given the existence of
the woodcuts.

There is a body of opinion that the pretzel is of Ancient Roman origin, but
I haven't seen much evidence to support the claim.  The origin of the word
is almost certainly "brachitellum," the Medieval Latin diminutive of
"bracciatus" or "branched."

Baking at Midnight doesn't make you a "mad baker."  Between midnight and two
is the normal time to shape and raise the loaves to be baked for the morning
trade.

Bear

>
> Oooh!  What about pretzels?  Is there any truth to that story
> that they were
> invented by a 14th century monk?
>
> -Gytha "The Mad Baker What Bakes at Midnight" Karlsdotter
>