Happy Pretzel Day

Thanks to the crackerjack staff of my work cafeteria, I now know that April 26 is National Pretzel Day. And since buying the crappy soft pretzels available at the cafeteria for 50 cents doesn't seem like enough of a celebration, I now present a salute to our finest snack food. Please join me as I take you on a trip that traces the importance of the pretzel in my life.

The first soft pretzel I had was probably just the kind of 50-cent cafeteria pretzel I mocked above, purchased at either the Staten Island Mall or the Kresge's in the Forest Avenue Shoppers Town (colloquially, and inexplicably, the Plaza). I can't recall the name of the place in the Mall and it is long gone, but I could point out its exact former location if you want to take a trip. And the Kresge's was much revered by Young Me because of its three pretzels for 99 cents special. An afternoon when I could get those three pretzels and the new issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated from the Sav-On next door, well, it didn't get much better than that.

And those soft pretzels were just fine...until that first trip with the family to Manhattan and the subsequent bite into the street-cart soft pretzel. We would go every Christmas to check out the displays and FAO Schwarz, which were cool, but the real prize was the soft pretzel. That smoky taste, the soft dough that rested under the slightly hard outer shell, the ritual shaking off of the excess salt--it was just about the best part of every December. Until the presents at the end of the month. Those were better.


Of course, we have gathered here to celebrate all kinds of pretzels, as I assume that's the mandate for National Pretzel Day (maybe there's a separate National Soft Pretzel Day). So we must mention the everyday pretzel, be it thin, mini, Dutch, or whatever. And, when I was a kid, that kind of pretzel came to our house every other Saturday on the Charles Chips truck (we preferred the less formal "Charlie Chips," which I didn't realize wasn't the actual name of the company until I was probably in my teens...or maybe it was last week). The Charlie Chips truck would pull up in front of the house, and my dad would go to the kitchen to get the empty potato chip and pretzel tins that would soon be replaced by new, full tins. Usually, my dad and the Charlie Chips guy would let me on the truck to look through the candy and pick out a bag of caramels or Swedish fish (is there a National Swedish Fish Day? There should be). The truck eventually stopped coming. Saturdays haven't been as good since.


But as much as I enjoyed the Charlie Chips pretzels (sometimes we got thin, sometimes it was Dutch), my heart still belonged to the soft pretzel. So, when my sister came home from college one night with these new, buttery soft pretzels from someplace called Auntie Anne's in the Quakerbridge Mall, I was intrigued. And so began a yearlong obsession with Auntie Anne's, which eventually died down as the Auntie Anne's pretzel became more readily available (and, in fact, moved into the Staten Island Mall). I still go back every now and then, but it's not the same. Yes, Auntie Anne's drive to become an economic success made them less appealing to me. Bad move on their part.


I was introduced to the Philadelphia soft pretzel somewhat late in life, which is a shame, because I could have consumed so many more if I had only known. The Philadelphia soft pretzel is shaped more like a weapon than its NYC counterpart, which I assume is to make it easier to throw at sporting events. I still pledge my allegiance to the NYC soft pretzel, but I do stock up on Philly pretzels whenever I'm in town. I'll even settle for the inferior Wawa version if my go-to place in the Gallery mall is closed. I also once bought about 20 from the Philadelphia Soft Pretzel Factoryin Atlantic City in a moment of sheer excitement at seeing a chain devoted to the Philly pretzel. So, maybe I do like the Philly pretzel more.

There are also other pretzels I love, like the ones they used to serve gratis at Killmeyer's in Staten Island or the ones you can occasionally buy at Deising's Bakery in Kingston, NY. And, of course, there are chocolate covered pretzels. And pretzel nuggets. And those Bachman Pretzel Stix that occasionally made their way into my lunchbag.

Point is, the pretzel--in all its varied forms--is a snack unlike any other. So, Tinsel and Rot is proud to celebrate National Pretzel Day, and we ask that you spend the day saluting this delightful taste treat. Buy a pretzel for yourself or someone you love. Or me.

(On a side note, Internet research reveals that today is also Shuffleboard Day. One of the greatest games of all time. Wish I was at Eva's Farm playing it right now.)