National Pretzel Day

Journalist Rocky the Squirrel here –

Keeping his paws on the nuts of the world –

Today is National Pretzel Day – what a way to celebrate pretzels of all shapes and sizes.  How do you like your pretzels?  Straight, twisted, hard, soft, thick or thin?  Then think of all the different flavors you can get – cinnamon, raisin, salted, sesame, chocolate, jalapeno, bacon wrapped, stuffed with peanut butter, sour dough – served with mustard or cheese? AND let’s not forget about pretzel wrapped hot dogs – mmm.   Do you eat them straight out of the bag or do you prepare your own and bake them in the oven?

Pretzels are believed to be the world’s oldest snack and date back as far as 610 AD in Southern France. Monks baked thin strips of dough into the shape of a child’s arms folded in prayer. Add a little salt, and Voila! …the pretzel industry was born.

Pretzels also symbolize good fortune, bringing prosperity and spiritual wholeness with every bite. Wedding couples fell into the practice of breaking a pretzel, much like one might break a wishbone on Thanksgiving.  The person with the larger piece was assured domestic happiness. The pretzel, over time, came to symbolize the “tying of the marriage knot.”

 

Travels in the South

Hello sweet friends.  Today on Travels in the South I want to share some pictures that I found recently on mom’s iPhone.  Of course it’s food pictures.  I think mom/dad take more pictures of food than Doan’s has little pills these days – snorts with piggy laughter.  So are you ready?  Here we go.

These pictures are from a delightful restaurant that mom/dad found on the River Street in Savannah, Georgia a while back.  The restaurant is called The Cotton Exchange and they have everything from hamburgers to steaks.  On this day, mom/dad were looking for appetizers to share with each other while exploring the wonderful seafood cuisine.

If you have read anything in the past about mom/dad’s food adventures, you will know that they love some good hot cheese and bread as an appetizer.  Why?  Because this is something that don’t usually eat at home.  In fact, mom usually stays far, far away from bread.  So on vacation, she likes to dive in head first and ask questions later.  At this restaurant, this lovely picture is titled but of course “Hot Bread and Cheese”.  The cheese is a garlic cheese, very hot from the stove and very tasty.  The bread left something to be desired.  Don’t get me wrong, mom/dad said it was good but look at it.  It was a side of loaf bread thrown at you.  Now some would say you could pull it apart and dip to your heart’s delight.  And that is true.  But don’t you think it would be easier to eat said bread if it was already sliced… you know especially since it’s hot?  But, I digress with mom’s finickiness.  All in all – mom/dad said it was good but could have been better.

Then when in Savannah, you *know* my mom/dad are going to get their buffalo shrimp on and ready.  Mom/dad’s second choice in an appetizer was this lovely buffalo shrimp served with celery and blue cheese.  Now, if you have never had buffalo shrimp – what are you waiting for?!  You must try this!  Even this little piggy has had buffalo shrimp from when mom fixes it here at the Hotel Thompson.  It’s like buffalo wings – same sauce – but done with fried shrimp.  How could you go wrong, right?  Mom likes them with light sauce – as she tells the waiters, “I don’t want them swimming in sauce, just lightly coated.”  You know the taste of the sauce without wearing the sauce all over your face, fingers and shirt.  Mom/dad gave this buffalo shrimp both hands up yummy!

The third appetizer that mom/dad got was called Shrimp Orleans.  These are shrimp wrapped in bacon and a cajun spice.  They are then pan blackened and served with a creole mustard.  Now first up, thank goodness I’m not that kind of pig, right?  Mom/dad said these were interesting.  Of course that’s like hearing Andrew Zimmern from Bizarre Foods saying something is interesting.  We all know what kind of food he eats and the translation of interesting means it’s okay, nothing to write home about folks.  Personally mom thought they could be a little bit more spicy since they are Shrimp Orleans.  And in the bigger scheme of things, put them below the hot bread and cheese.

This leads us up to what dad calls the best thing that has ever passed his lips.  And you know my friends, this has to be good because dad is a professional eater.  This was the final appetizer that mom/dad ordered and it was a special that day.  Mom/dad can’t remember what the ‘official’ name was but it is deep fried pork.  I know – I know – I should be scared since daddy liked this but mom says I’m safe.  The kitchen took pork that was already cooked, floured it and deep fried the already goodness into cute little pork bites.  It was served with a somewhat spicy barbeque sauce on the side.  In fact, mom says she could go for some of these right now.  Thanks mom.  That makes my kind feel safe – snorts with piggy laughter.

So my friends.  Thanks for traveling in the south with me and I hope you enjoyed some of these food break downs.  Until next time, keep eating good food!

 

National Pretzel Day

Journalist Rocky the Squirrel here –

Keeping his paws on the nuts of the world –

.

Today is National Pretzel Day – what a way to celebrate pretzels of all shapes and sizes.  How do you like your pretzels?  Straight, twisted, hard, soft, thick or thin?  Then think of all the different flavors you can get – cinnamon, raisin, salted, sesame, chocolate, jalapeno, bacon wrapped, stuffed with peanut butter, sour dough – served with mustard or cheese? AND let’s not forget about pretzel wrapped hot dogs – mmm.   Do you eat them straight out of the bag or do you prepare your own and bake them in the oven?

Pretzels are believed to be the world’s oldest snack and date back as far as 610 AD in Southern France. Monks baked thin strips of dough into the shape of a child’s arms folded in prayer. Add a little salt, and Voila! …the pretzel industry was born.

Pretzels also symbolize good fortune, bringing prosperity and spiritual wholeness with every bite. Wedding couples fell into the practice of breaking a pretzel, much like one might break a wishbone on Thanksgiving.  The person with the larger piece was assured domestic happiness. The pretzel, over time, came to symbolize the “tying of the marriage knot.”