The "Get It Twisted!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading a story in my Reader's Digest magazine that told of the loops of a popular snack that tell a warm, winding tale.  The tale of the pretzel's enduring popularity crisscrosses a medieval monk with a modern mall mogul, with a lot of twists and turns in between.  It was in 610 C.E. when a monk in northern Italy braided ropes of bread dough to resemble crossed arms in prayer.  He baked the treats until golden and gave them as rewards to his students at the monastery.  That known shape became popular with the bakers in Europe during the Middle Ages and Germans especially took to the art of pretzel twisting.  The pretzel sign in front of a business in the Middle Ages  was a symbol that you could find fresh-baked breads inside the business.  Pretzels were once so special that medieval painters would dab a few on the table of the "Last Supper."  Germans brought a passion for pretzels to the New World, especially to Pennsylvania Dutch country, which is a misnomer for Pennsylvania Duetsch.  The state were I live produces roughly 80% of the pretzels sold in the United States today.  The country's first commercial pretzel bakery opened in 1861 in nearby Lititz, PA, outside of Lancaster, my hometown!   Its founder was German-born Julius Stugis who claimed to create the first hard pretzels - made crisp so they could be stored for long periods without going stale.  The Sturgis family still makes hard pretzels in nearby Reading, Pennsylvania.  Hard or soft, pretzels go with just about anything.  The twisting shape tale can't be compete without homage to "Auntie" Anne Beiler, who started selling hand-role soft pretzels in 1988 in a Pennsylvania farmer's market to help fund her husband's dream of providing free family counseling services for their community.  Auntie Anne's is now the largest hand-rolled soft pretzel in the world, with over 1,700 locations. Now for a cameo from actor Adam "Shappy" Shapiro.  The Philly native became pretzel vendor to the stars during the pandemic, when he perfected a Philly-style soft pretzel and offered it from his Los Angeles driveway to friends.. His pretzel pop-up became a Hollywood hit - and a bona fide business.  Shappy pretzels were given out at the 2023 Academy Awards, and Kristen Bell, Ryan Seacrest and Tyra Banks all professed their love for the treat.  There is no twist ending here.  Just an abiding admiration for a doughy delicacy with Old World traditions, all wrapped up in a bow.  PS - I still make trips to my nearby Lancaster Central Market in downtown Lancaster, PA. on occasion to get fresh pretzels that have just been made and placed in bags for sale.  The smell is unbelievable and the taste is out of this world.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.