Pretzels!

In one of many albums at my parents' house, there's a series of photos of me at age 3 wandering around a fair in Germany eating an enormous pretzel. I have always loved big, soft, warm pretzels, and those Germans really know how to make them. Thanks to Alton Brown, and my brother-in-law Will for tipping me off, now I know how to make them too!

I made these yesterday and they are the best I've had since being in Germany. Ickie and I gobbled them up hot out of the oven with yellow mustard, and Ben enjoyed one when he awoke from his nap. Then we had a second helping with our pub-food dinner (perfect on an overcast, chilly evening), consisting of apple-squash-cheddar soup sprinkled with crispy prosciutto, and beer. The beer was a last-minute acquisition: I flipped out around 5pm realizing how necessary it was, and Ickie took Ben out to the store with him to save the day.