Pretzels

Twisted in History: A Narrative of the Pretzel

By Owen Heidings

While to most, a humble knot of salted, buttered bread, the pretzel has a cultural relevance fundamental to my family’s identity: we both originated in Germany and immigrated to the United States to find a new home. While some may consider the pretzel “merely” a food item, it is crucial in tying people together and forging friendships.

A pretzel with honey mustard sauce—one of The Heidelberg’s most popular sides. November 21, 2023, by Owen Heidings.

An interior image of The Heidelberg, right when you first walk in. November 21, 2023, by Owen Heidings.

The Heidelberg's gorgeous exterior. November 21, 2023, by Owen Heidings.

My fondest memories involve eating pretzels with those I treasure most. One such experience came from a dinner with my parents at a New York City restaurant called The Heidelberg, a German, family-owned restaurant over a century old in what once was one of Manhattan’s most populous German neighborhoods: Yorkville (“Welcome”). The interior was so authentic as to be stereotypical: The walls were adorned with German artwork, German flags draped from the ceiling, and, of course, beer steins as far as the eye could see. We ordered a hearty main course that night, but what I remember most about this dinner was the enormous pretzel. Its aroma was the first thing that hit me. The smell of freshly baked pretzel crust immediately livened my olfactory system, its scent unlike anything I had ever experienced. Research has found that pretzel crust has a unique chemical composition, giving it a pungency different from every other type of bread crust (Sebastian and Schieberle). The smell reminded me of my grandmother’s traditional heidesand cookies. There was some intangible element baked in—maybe love or passion—that I could never quite put into words.

In 2021, more than $1.4 billion worth of pretzels were sold in the United States (Blitz). The pretzel, however, was not always this popular. In the 1700s, the pretzel crossed the Atlantic Ocean, arriving in German settlements in the colony of Pennsylvania (Przybylek). The outbreak of World War I led Americans to shun pretzels. In 1918, The Los Angeles Times declared that the pretzel was “too German to be taken seriously” (Przybylek). The pretzel returned in the 1920s during Prohibition, when Americans bought the food in droves to pair with home-brewed drinks (Przybylek). As a result, the pretzel again became a means to celebrate community. This historical link is why the pretzel is so important to me.

A 1920s cartoon depicting a German man at a bar eating a pretzel and sipping a beer (Przybylek).

As I tore off a piece of the oversized pretzel at The Heidelberg, I debated which dipping option to try: a creamy cheese dip or a tangy honey-mustard dip. The second option looked best, so I lathered the pretzel and bit off a huge mouthful. My taste buds felt like they were at a rock concert, the mix of savory and sweet clashing in my mouth like an electric guitarist playing an arpeggiated riff. The cheese dip was even more explosive, providing a sharp, overwhelming flavor that felt like I had eaten an entire meal in one bite. Here, I felt at home. While my ancestors were gone, I was able to experience a cuisine they had during their lifetimes. I also felt attuned to the word’s origins; the word pretzel comes from the Latin bracellae, meaning “little arms” (Pruitt). In that moment, I felt arm-in-arm with my distant relatives, sharing a moment that bridged two temporal eras.

The next pretzel I had was at Michigan Stadium. I had this pretzel in a distinct sociocultural context, now tapping into my U.S. heritage in full-on American football mode. In this instance, I remember not so much the taste of the pretzel itself but rather the experience of eating it. I was surrounded by thousands of U-M fans in the Big House, high-fiving those around me at every score, pretzel in hand. The pretzel itself was nothing special taste-wise; it was bland, unsalted, and overly-oiled. While the pretzel at The Heidelberg had an irreplicable, artisan quality, this pretzel could have been made anywhere—one could even make it in their microwave. The true magic was in the atmosphere: joined by our love of food and sport, the pretzel “knotted” me to a diverse community I was proud to call my own. At this moment, I realized the capacity of food to bring people together. Though the pretzel’s story is, characteristically, full of twists and turns, it resolves unloosened—the pretzel is not just a food item; it is a bonding experience.

Adam and Caroline Randall at their pretzel bakery in 1927 Pittsburgh (Przybylek).

The interior of the Heidelberg restaurant nearly a century ago (“Welcome”).

Works Cited

Blitz, Matt. “The Religious History of Pretzels.” Food & Wine, 22 Sept. 2022, https://www.foodandwine.com/lifestyle/religious-history-pretzels. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

Heidings, Owen. Photograph of pretzel at The Heidelberg. 21 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.

Heidings, Owen. Photograph of The Heidelberg exterior. 21 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.

Heidings, Owen. Photograph of The Heidelberg interior. 21 Nov. 2023. Author’s personal collection.

Pruitt, Sarah. "The Pretzel: A Twisted History." History.com, A&E Television Networks, 28 Mar. 2023, www.history.com/news/the-pretzel-a-twisted-history. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.

Przybylek, Leslie. "Pretzels and Prohibition: The Tangled Fate of the 'German Biscuit.'" Heinz History Center, 15 Apr. 2018, www.heinzhistorycenter.org/blog/western-pennsylvania-history-pretzels-and-prohibition/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.

Schoenauer, Sebastian, and Peter Schieberle. "Characterization of the Key Aroma Compounds in the Crust of Soft Pretzels by Application of the Sensomics Concept." Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, vol. 67, no. 25, 4 June 2019, pp. 7110-19. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jafc.9b02601. Accessed 30 Oct. 2023.

“Welcome to The Heidelberg." Heidelberg Restaurant, www.heidelberg-nyc.com/#about. Accessed 31 Oct. 2023.

Page updated

Report abuse