Mini Memoir

While instructing the class on how to write a personal narrative, my English professor decided to have us read a series of food memoirs. Essentially, they are stories written about the impact that certain foods had on the authors and how those foods colored the author’s experiences. Initially, I considered reading food memoirs to be a ridiculous task. It’s just food. We eat it every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner (and a few snacks in between, if you’re like me). When I opened my textbook, my perspective changed quickly. The narratives were tasty little morsels filled with descriptions of sugary happiness, bitter anger, and savory relaxation. The authors delicately intertwined the taste of certain foods with the impact of the setting and story behind those foods to create poignant pieces that delved into deeper emotions. Like the subtle spices that flavor a favorite dish, the enjoyment or disgust for the foods described melded perfectly with the authors’ thoughts to create a full-bodied story.

When considering foods that could play a role in my own food memories, one that came to mind was soft pretzels. Every young child is familiar with soft pretzels. They are the simple, buttery twists of bread that are often enjoyed at carnivals or sporting events. They may be simple and common, but, for me, they hold countless memories beneath their golden crusts. I most vividly recall munching on a pretzel during one of the many hockey games that I attended with my sister, my dad, and my grandpa. I tasted the sweet cinnamon sugar as I watched the players skate swiftly around the rink. I heard my sister and my grandpa bicker lightly about the progress of the game. I could feel the energy in the arena as the team passed the puck carefully around the opposing team’s goal. It was a simple mixture of flour and butter, twisted into an odd yet iconic shape, probably, one of a thousand made every day. But, it tasted of the sweet flavor of excitement, youth and familial love. 

Last weekend, my mother had the unique opportunity of visiting my sister at Virginia Tech. She got to meet many of my sister’s friends and share multiple meals with them. One of my sister’s friends, a young boy from Germany, made a batch of homemade soft pretzels for the entire group to enjoy with their beer. My mother was so impressed by these pretzels that she asked if we could make our own when she came up to visit. We chose Alton Brown’s recipe (because he is the ultimate foodie/ mad scientist) and were delighted by the results. As we bit into the buttery crust, we both were flooded with our positive memories and felt that our expectations had been fulfilled. On top of that, the process of making the pretzels together had allowed us to create a new memory to associate with the pretzels.

The dough smelled amazing! As soon as the yeast was sprinkled on top of the water, the kitchen was filled with the distinct scent of fermenting yeast!

We decided to top our bagels with both salt and cinnamon sugar!

Who can resist something so deliciously soft and golden brown?

Homemade Soft Pretzels

From Alton Brown's Pretzel Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups warm (110 to 115 degrees F) water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces all-purpose flour, approximately 4 1/2 cups
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, melted
• Vegetable oil, for pan
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• 1 large egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• Pretzel salt (We topped half of ours with a cinnamon sugar mixture)

Directions

Combine the water, sugar and kosher salt in the bowl of a stand mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top. Allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam. Add the flour and butter and, using the dough hook attachment, mix on low speed until well combined. Change to medium speed and knead until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the side of the bowl, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the dough from the bowl, clean the bowl and then oil it well with vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap and sit in a warm place for approximately 50 to 55 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Line 2 half-sheet pans with parchment paper and lightly brush with the vegetable oil. Set aside.
Bring the 10 cups of water and the baking soda to a rolling boil in an 8-quart saucepan or roasting pan.
In the meantime, turn the dough out onto a slightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll out each piece of dough into a 24-inch rope. Make a U-shape with the rope, holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U in order to form the shape of a pretzel. Place onto the parchment-lined half sheet pan.
Place the pretzels into the boiling water, 1 by 1, for 30 seconds. Remove them from the water using a large flat spatula. Return to the half sheet pan, brush the top of each pretzel with the beaten egg yolk and water mixture and sprinkle with the pretzel salt. Bake until dark golden brown in color, approximately 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack for at least 5 minutes before serving.