Legend says pretzels were invented around 610 AD by Italian monks who wanted a treat to reward children for learning their prayers. They twisted strips of leftover dough into the shape of a child’s arms crossed in prayer and baked them until crisp. The three loops were sometimes said to represent the Christian Trinity.
The story may not be exactly true, but pretzels really are very old. By the Middle Ages they were common across Europe, especially in southern Germany and Austria. Pretzel bakers had their own guilds and even painted pretzel-shaped signs above their shops. The crossed loops became the symbol for bakeries all over Germany.
Today the United States is one of the biggest pretzel-eating countries, and about 80% of all American pretzels come from a single state - Pennsylvania, where German immigrants settled in the 1700s. Soft pretzels are a street food, while hard pretzels are a snack. Either way, you’re eating a 1,400-year-old reward for praying.
