[Sca-cooks] Pretzels, take two

Johnna Holloway johnnae at mac.com
Tue Feb 19 04:13:44 PST 2013


But bagels can also be boiled in lye water and served with salt crystals.

Peter Reinhart in Whole Grain Breads: New Techniques… writes "The alkalinity promotes browning and gives the crust that familiar bagel flavor. (Lye is also used in traditional pretzels for a similar purpose.)"

Here's a blog on the topic:
http://sodium-hydroxide.com/lye-bagels-the-story-of-how-polish-dough-came-to-rule-american-palates/

That's how they are made locally here in Ann Arbor.

 Speaking of which and back to pretzels, here's the New York Times article on Bavarian-Style Soft Pretzels (Laugenbrezeln)

Adapted from Zingerman's Bakehouse, Ann Arbor, Mich. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/dining/26pretzel.html?pagewanted=all

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/26/dining/26pretzelrex1.html?_r=0

Johnnae

On Feb 19, 2013, at 1:07 AM, JIMCHEVAL at aol.com wrote:

> Well, pretzels are typically dipped in lye; I don't believe that's the case 
> with bagels. Nor are bagels typically sprinkled with salt.
> 
> Jim  Chevallier
> www.chezjim.com



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