The Beginning of a Chic Trend

I’m sure you can easily imagine my delight when I read this recent article in the New York Times.  Just remember that I thought pretzels were amazing long before it became a trendy food craze!

Making Soft Pretzels the Old-Fashioned Way

It seems that pretzels are becoming a very popular food item in chic New York City neighborhoods!  Be sure to take a look at the slide show linked to in the article. 

There is also a link to a Bavarian soft pretzel recipe that I am anxious to try.  The only ingredient I am missing is the food-grade lye…which apparently is the secret ingredient to a great pretzel.  Even Martin’s Pretzels uses lye in their recipe.  Not the easiest product to locate…nor is it the easiest product to try to bring with you from abroad since it technically falls into the chemical category.  I’ve searched for lye in German grocery stores, but have not yet had success in locating it.  And when I do locate it, I have not yet fully worked out how to sneak it back to Israel in my suitcase….  Just a small challenge to overcome in my quest to make my own perfect pretzels!