Pretzels, or Brezeln, are the iconic knot-shaped bread from Germanic origins that I can’t get enough of, especially when served with butter, ham, and a cold beer. During my time in Germany, they were a staple found in kiosks and beer halls. On my recent trip to Austria, Germany, and Switzerland, they were everywhere, from street stands to bakeries. Inspired by Joe Ortiz’s The Village Baker, I decided to experiment with making pretzels using a flourless yeast starter he has in his version. I changed up only slightly keeping to my classic feeling by using lard and lye to make them just so., The results were absolutely delicious. There’s really nothing better than a Brezel, plain or filled.

Sehr gut…jah!