Beer & Pretzels

A couple of months ago Doug brought home a copy of the Hamilton County Herald, a weekly publication for the legal community. While refueling in the wee small hours of the morning, I came upon the following little-known facts about brews:

• The logs of the Mayflower indicate that Plymouth Rock was chosen as a landing site due to the need for passengers to drink water as they were draining the sailor's supply of beer.


• The phrase "rule of thumb" refers to testing the temperature of the liquid prior to adding the yeast.


• Tavern patrons took to baking a whistle in the handle of their custom-made beer mugs in order to be able to get the bartenders attention.


• Unruly customers were told to mind their "P's & Q's" (pints & quarts).


• Centuries ago in Babylonia it was customary for a bride's father to supply the new son-in-law with mead for the month after the wedding thus birthing the term "honeymoon."


• The term "go beserk" comes from the Norse word for "bare-shirted": "...in Norway, after consuming a bucket or two of vibrant brew they 'called aul,' the Vikings would head fearlessly into battle without armor or even shirts, and run amok in their ale-induced frenzy."

I was not at all surprised with that last one. Anyone who watches extreme wrestling or similar "sports" can attest to the "need for mead." Anyway, the boys wanted to make pretzels so we rolled up our sleeves and got to work.
Kneading the dough

Shaping the pretzelsBoiling the risen dough

Baking the topped pretzels

The finished product

The boys' favorite were the cinnamon sugar ones, right from the oven. It seems we are left with the salted and plain. Maybe we can take them to our local joint, the Rusty Duck.