Pretsels

Like most baking endevours, pretsels are therapeutic. A little needy, perhaps, as they need to be enriched with malt syrup and a bit of butter. They need a good 90 minutes to proof and benefit from a cooler rise. They need a bath before baking, an eggwash and a hot baking stone.. but their great redemption comes in the eating: dense and chewy with contrasting bursts of crunchy coarse saltiness and that distinct 'pretsel' flavour achieved from the soda added to their bath.

And exhibiting their stereotypical behaviour, they get on smashingly well with beer.


This ale, from Mill Street Brewery, was a fortuitous find. Tankhouse has enough going on in both the hop and malt departments to stand up to the rich pretsels served alongside a stoneground artisanal mustard from Rayes.

Cheers to that!

Comments

Anonymous said…
yum, now if only you could post me a couple, I could eat them with a Red Hill Beer and perhaps a mustard from Milawa
Mary said…
There are no shortage of beer treasures and wonderful condiments hiding in your neck of the woods. You know, I was thinking about doing the High Country Brewery Trail next year. Maybe I'll bring my baking stone..
creampuff said…
Beer and pretzels ... it doesn't get much better!
Nigel Olsen said…
Mary, have a stupendous Christmas! All the best for you and your loved ones in the new year, too.
Dave said…
It's tough to look at this recipe without wanting to run to the kitchen. Maybe today. They look wonderful!
Mary said…
Thank you Nigel!! And same to you.

Hi Dave, and thank you. I suggest a double batch (if not triple) these were gobbled up quite quickly.

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