Saturday, December 31, 2016

New Year’s Pretzel

This article was originally posted on December 27, 2006

The tradition of the New Year's Pretzel appears to date from the turn of the 20th century in Sandusky. As the city of Sandusky grew, it was home to a very large German population. Sandusky had German neighborhoods and even supported a German language newspaper or two. It was the strong influence of the German community that brought about a holiday tradition known to very few communities.

The New Year’s Pretzel is different from the pretzels we know today. It is soft and made from an egg dough, and instead of being sprinkled with salt, it is washed with a glaze. The finished product is chewy. The pretzels were anywhere from 15 to 36 inches across and were made by a number of bakeries in Sandusky, including Becherer, Frank’s (pictured here, at 834 Columbus Ave.), Knoerle, Feddersen, Kanzler, Schweinfurth, Michel, Smith’s, Sandusky Baking, H & S, Park, and others.

The pretzels are usually eaten for breakfast on New Year’s Day. Wilbert Ohlemacher recalled that his father would hang the pretzel by a ribbon from the gas chandelier over the dining room table. He would cut the ribbon and then cut the pretzel into smaller pieces for everyone in the family. When the custom was practiced in early Sandusky, the pretzels were often decorated with intricate braids made from the same dough.

There are a few different theories about the origins of the German New Years Pretzel. One is that they were first baked by monks in Southern Germany as a reward for children who learned their prayers. Thus they were shaped to represent the crossed arms of a child praying.

Another story is that the circular shape of the symbolic loaf is derived from the old calendar sign for the winter solstice, which was a circle with a dot in its center. The central cross was added to represent the four seasons.

Yet another story tells of German citizens parading through the streets with pretzels piled onto long sticks, and groups of people would go calling on friends and relatives and exchange pretzels instead of greetings.

While the exact origin is unknown, the New Years Pretzel is fondly remembered by countless residents of Sandusky.

25 comments:

Unknown said...

I have the original Fuhr family recipe. My grandma Crawford was Ida von Fuhr and her parents had an interest in a Bakery in Sandusky and brought the recipe over from Germany/ Anyone who wats it ...email me at crawdoug@gmail.com
Doug Crawford

Anonymous said...

I HAVE MY OWN RECIPE...I HAVE TASTED SEVERAL DIFFERENT PRETZELS, AND MADE MY OWN CHANGES, BUT I WANT TO TRY DOUG CRAWFORD'S "NO YEAST" VARIETAL...THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES...ANGELLAN (ANGI) HERZIG

Unknown said...

I have more than a dozen different recipes, and don't recall any with "no yeast" . I host a group on facebook about new years pretzel. simply send me a friend request and mention new years pretzel, i will add you to the group. or email me and i will send you an assortment of recipes! Happy New Year!

Anonymous said...

Doug, I'd love to have the recipe! My husband is born and raised in Sandusky and he talks about the pretzel from time to time especially this time of year. Please share the recipe so I can make it for him, if you don't mind. My email is yunitamowry@aol.com
Thanks, Doug.

Linda Kelley said...

did anyone put a foil wrapped dime in the loaf? the person who got it was supposed to have good luck for the year!

Lynd MacDonald Loomis said...

Angi, I think the time stamp is wrong on your computer. It's not October, 2010!!! LMAO My time is off too, & I can't seem to change it. Happy New Year Sis!

Barbara Hartenfeld said...

I found a recipe in an old German cookbook in San Diego 40 years ago and have been making it since then. I "tweeked" it a lot until my dad finally said, "Yep! You got it now honey!"

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Unknown said...

Barb, I'm in San Diego right now, Dec 31, 2015. Can you give me the receipe? Ken Heiberger. Ken@heibergerpaving.Com thanks

Unknown said...

Knoerle's had the best New Years pretzel. In fact, they had the best everything! Family bakeries like that a a thing of the past now.

Unknown said...

I think we used Feddersen's! Lots of bakeries and pizza parlors. Everyone had their favorite. Any of the old pizza places still open?

Tim Morey said...

I've been making the New Year's pretzel for many years now. I got the recipe from my Dad, who got it from a Sandusky Register article many years ago. I am not completely certain, but I do believe it is Feddersens. It contains mace and yeast and tastes exactly as I remember from my childhood. If anyone would like it, email me. timmorey at bellsouth dot net

Unknown said...

I would like to have your tweeked recipe for new years pretzel. falter88@outlook.com

Unknown said...

I remember the article and yes it was Fedderson's recipe. I'd appreciate it greatly if you could e-mail it to me. Thank you bunches in advance!!
Authumn

Shel said...

I would love to have the feddersens original new years pretzel recipe, I haven't had 1 in years i was born an raised in that area...my email is shelique10@yahoo.com, thank you

Shel said...

I would love the Feddersens new years pretzel revipe, I was born and raised in Sandusky, and have moved to Florida. It would be nice to make 1 this year, 1 of my fond memories from Sandusky, my email is shelique10@yahoo.com
Thank you

Autumn D Haas said...

If you could please email me the recipe I was born and raised and still live in Sandusky and so were my parents. They remember the feddersen new years pretzels and love them . Thanks so much.

Autumn D Haas / midget745@aol.com

Tracey said...

I would love the recipe. My husband’s family is from Sandusky. Thank you! tlynnies@gmail.com

Terri said...

If you're still sharing the recipe, I'd love to have it as well: pigford1@hotmail.com Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

I also remember Feddersens and would love to make it for my family in Arizona. Please send me the recipe at azbilldr@msn.com. I hope you have a wonderful New Year and thank you in advance.

Beth said...

I would love the recipe too! Thanks! Bessex11@gmail.com

Beth said...

I would love the recipe too! Thanks! Bessex11@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

Please send me the recipe.
Thanks!
lauraesker@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

I asked for the recipe but I don't use that email address anymore (above)
It's full of spam. Mmmm, I loved those pretzels.

Anonymous said...

Is it possible to still get this Fedderson's New Year's Pretzel recipe? I have wished for this recipe ever since the bakery closed. My email is mcerooto2@gmail.com