tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57038730564935826192024-03-13T22:11:36.861-07:00Portland PretzelsNeed a salty carb to go with your micro-brew in Portland, OR?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.comBlogger51125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-29494076740017625732014-08-05T14:24:00.002-07:002014-08-05T14:25:11.106-07:00Portland Pretzels Has Moved!Not to fret! I am still eating and blogging about pretzels - but I have upgraded my site. Please check out <a href="http://pdxpretzels.com/">pdxpretzels.com</a> to continue following me on my pretzel-eating adventure!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-25866669452190891032014-05-28T15:02:00.003-07:002014-05-28T17:18:44.294-07:00The Big Apple has Big Pretzels! <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Cronut - Dominique Ansel</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">New
York City (NYC) might have Dominque Ansel's <a href="http://dominiqueansel.com/cronut-101/">Cronut</a>, not to mention a plethora of other yummy cuisine, but as an avid pretzel lover I had
to see how the city’s pretzels stacked up against those in Portland. It turns
out that <a href="http://www.houstonhallny.com/">Houston Hall</a>, a massive beer hall in NYC’s West Village, has a tasty (and
massive) Soft Bavarian pretzel! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houston Hall Giant Warm Pretzel</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Alex Tucker eats a pretzel <br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">While traveling for work, I was able to soak up some of the city and fortunately for me, Matt's friend Alex lives close by so I was able to meet up with him for some pretzel eating and site-seeing. When we got to Houston Hall, we ordered one <strong>Giant Warm Pretzel</strong> and then had to order a second one because I overlooked that f</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">or a little extra money ($2) they also had some
Cheddar ale dipping sauce. It was delicious and well worth every bite and the extra pretzel!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">We walked off the pretzel(s) - oh and meat & cheese plate - on our way to see the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatiron_Building">Flat Iron Building</a>, which is easily my favorite building in America. While I should have been full from all of our pretzel eating and beer drinking, I couldn't pass up the chance to eat at <a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/">Shake Shack</a> in Madison Square Park. Their squished, juicy little burgers were so savory and they let us wait to get our <a href="http://www.shakeshack.com/food-and-drink/">frozen custard shakes</a> until we were done eating our burgers! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contrary to what it might seem I didn't just eat my way through NYC, but as a lover of food I couldn't pass up the opportunity to truly taste what they big city had to offer! </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Houston Hall Cheddar ale dip <br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-84207983883162557702014-02-03T09:19:00.003-08:002014-02-03T09:24:08.543-08:00I love making pretzels and I cannot Lye...I got Andrea Slonecker's cook book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Pretzel-Making-Home-Andrea-Slonecker/dp/1452109648">"Pretzel Making at Home"</a> for Christmas and my boyfriend (Matt) and I decided SuperBowl Sunday would give us the perfect excuse to try out our first recipe from the book! In case you didn't get enough food yesterday during the big game, read along and be on your way to a pretzel making adventure! <br />
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Baking Soda (in lieu of lye), flour, sea salt, Pilsner, unsalted butter, active dry yeast, brown sugar (instead of barley malt syrup), a mixer (with a dough hook), cookie sheets, parchment paper, egg, water, Kosher salt! </div>
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Step 2: Put active dry yeast (one 1/4 oz) in warm water. Add brown sugar, butter, sea salt, flour..</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">and beer - we used <a href="http://pilsnerurquell.com/age-gate?destination=taxonomy/term/12">Pilsner Urquell</a> </span></div>
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Get dough hook for the stand mixer!</div>
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Stand back and let the magic happen (until dough is elastic - about 7 minutes). We used about a cup of water to help make the dough less dry, a little more than the recipe recommends. </div>
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Once it's fermented, knead it out a bit, grease the bowl with butter, put the dough back in and refrigerate!<br />
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Andrea recommends letting the dough rise in the refrigerator for 24 hours, so we stuck to that (more or less). At the same time we baked baking soda for about 1 hour at 250 degrees. This will eventually be combined with water to dip the pretzels in before baking!</div>
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The following day...we kneaded out the dough, and were able to yield 16 TWISTS!<br />
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Once we twisted them into shape (my favorite part), we then dipped each of them in the simmering hot water/baking soda solution for about 20 seconds. Note: in some cases the bread is actually boiled, which I think I might try next time just to see the difference in the pretzel. </span> </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Then we brushed egg yolk + water on the pretzels, sprinkled with Kosher salt and popped them into the oven for about 8-11 minutes. </span></div>
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I must say, they turned out quite spectacular - just the right amount of salt, thickness and softness - and our friends would agree. Nothing like pretzels for #SuperBowl Sunday! </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-19869880525494164452014-01-15T22:07:00.000-08:002014-01-18T19:19:46.569-08:00The Happiest Place on Earth...just got a little saltier!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy 2014 Pretzel Lovers!</div>
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My boyfriend's parents recently took a trip to <a href="https://disneyland.disney.go.com/#">Disneyland</a> and found chocolate dipped pretzel-rods, which naturally inspired me to write a blog post. Not only did it look delicious, but after one bite I was hooked because it was filled with caramel. </div>
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It tasted the way you hope a Twix bar tastes each time you decide to indulge in one, but arguably better. Maybe there should be a "pretzel-inspired" Twix bar? The pretzel M&M's were a hit (well at least in my world). If anyone from <a href="http://www.mars.com/global/index.aspx">Mars</a> is reading this, I will allow you to steal my idea, but only if I get a few free Twix-pretzels in the mail?! I also accept pretzel M&M's!</div>
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A girl can dream, right?</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oTwT4ZMXI0g/UttDIZWSdFI/AAAAAAAAAK0/v0TTuORDGiI/s640/blogger-image--657740551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oTwT4ZMXI0g/UttDIZWSdFI/AAAAAAAAAK0/v0TTuORDGiI/s640/blogger-image--657740551.jpg"></a></div></div>
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I guess in 2014 I just might have to do a little traveling to Disneyland myself and you can bet that I will be in search of pretzels (along with all my favorite Disney characters, of course).</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-70257135289909118922013-11-10T20:22:00.001-08:002013-11-10T20:25:12.751-08:00Aunt Fanny has some Hot PretzelsA roadtrip from Portland to San Francisco would not be the same without pretzel tasting...well and maybe wine tasting ...but you can probably guess what I gravitated more towards. <div><br></div><div><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kBQo8Gi6k4w/UoBbckHZERI/AAAAAAAADos/uGDYQHawOoI/s640/blogger-image--282955475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue Light', HelveticaNeue-Light, helvetica, arial, sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kBQo8Gi6k4w/UoBbckHZERI/AAAAAAAADos/uGDYQHawOoI/s640/blogger-image--282955475.jpg"></a><br><div><br></div><div>Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf has a lot of touristy restraunts and shops but buried closer to the ocean, near the salty water taffy shop, is a little stand called <b>Aunt Fanny's Hot Pretzels</b>. The pretzels are indeed hot but also doughy, drowned in butter, salted to perfection (if you prefer) and complete when dipped in cheese sauce (think nacho cheese sauce, so nothing too fancy). The first bite convinces you that you have embarked on one rich pretzel eating experience.</div><div><br></div><div>I think I would frequent this place a lot should the brand ever decide to expand to Portland - maybe close to the waterfront? </div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br></div></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-18388674970665163762013-08-25T19:44:00.001-07:002013-08-31T09:41:45.296-07:00The Bier Stein Pretzel is Mighty FineMy first trip to Eugene, OR was spent at The Bier Stein, a local beer shop that has over a thousand bottles of beer with at least ten unique brews on tap! It has only been around since 2005 but has expanded over the years given its popularity, especially with U of O students. <div><br></div><div>Their food is amazing, but of course I am partial to their pretzels. They are soft, salty, and complement their beer selections to a T. The cheese fondue and mustard give the pretzel an added kick too. I think I could have had several more helpings of their beer cheese fondue sauce by itself! </div><div><br><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kD4hdOokuMA/UhrA8dwdYpI/AAAAAAAADmQ/uK251U5KXs8/s640/blogger-image-1182183253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kD4hdOokuMA/UhrA8dwdYpI/AAAAAAAADmQ/uK251U5KXs8/s640/blogger-image-1182183253.jpg"></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-61141318404089553642013-08-21T09:45:00.001-07:002013-08-21T09:45:18.598-07:00Hand Made Hammond's Pretzels: A Tasty TradtionWhile not kin to Portland, if you haven't had a <a href="http://www.hammondpretzels.com/index.htm">Hammond's</a> pretzel you're missing out. Hammond's pretzels might be crispy but somehow they look and taste like a soft pretzel. Music to my taste-buds.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iT16eN_MrqU/Ugf9vj6XlnI/AAAAAAAADls/Eku0BUarxfw/s1600/20130731_192725.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iT16eN_MrqU/Ugf9vj6XlnI/AAAAAAAADls/Eku0BUarxfw/s320/20130731_192725.jpeg" width="305" /></a>My boyfriend's co-worker recently introduced us to this little family-owned and operated bakery based out of Lancaster, Pennsylvania and naturally I needed to try their pretzels to see what all they hype was about.They have been <a href="http://www.hammondpretzels.com/howemak.aspx">producing hand-made sourdough pretzels since 1931</a> and are regarded as the "oldest continuously family operated hand-made pretzel bakery in America." Their little Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch Hard pretzel is definitely something to brag about.<br />
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Their <a href="http://www.hammondpretzels.com/Products.aspx">pretzel products</a> range from no salt to extra salty to dark pretzels (which have a more burnt consistency but are surprisingly still pretty tasty). I had the regular pretzel and dark pretzel and would have to say I am a bigger fan of the regular one, although it's pretty tempting to order some of the "extra salty" pretzels... for comparison purposes. <br />
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It turns out Pretzels were <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/tour/pretzel-museum.htm">first introduced </a>to the Americas by "Palatine Germans" or "Pennsylvanian Dutch" and the birthplace of the American Pretzel as we know it today began in Lititz, a city right outside of Lancaster in Pennsylvania Dutch country. Philadelphia in particular is one of the well known cities, in addition to New York and Chicago for their scrumptious soft pretzels - I wonder what it will take to get Portland on that list? I guess if Portlandinans start consuming <a href="http://www.ushistory.org/tour/pretzel-museum.htm">twelve times more pretzels than the national average like Philly</a> then we might also be recognized as a place for pretzels!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-24788682328214249402013-08-10T11:32:00.000-07:002013-08-10T11:44:28.331-07:00Bretzels and Brewfests Summer in Portland means many things, but one thing that always catches my eye are brewfests. <a href="http://www.portland-beerfest.com/">Portland International Beerfest</a> and <a href="http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/">Oregon Brewers Festival</a> are two of my favorites.<br />
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Held right in the heart of the Pearl district, the <a href="http://www.portland-beerfest.com/">Portland International Beerfest</a> offers 150 world class beers from 60 different countries. These beers are strong, but luckily <a href="http://fressenartisanbakery.com/">Fressen</a> pretzels were available on-site to remedy me from getting <i>too</i> out of hand.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YLjerMzz1z4/UgaGDaGEIwI/AAAAAAAADlI/rvEX5zpFAyg/s1600/20130726_195129.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YLjerMzz1z4/UgaGDaGEIwI/AAAAAAAADlI/rvEX5zpFAyg/s200/20130726_195129.jpg" width="150" /></a>The <a href="http://www.oregonbrewfest.com/">Oregon Brewers Festival</a>, located alongside the waterfront, offers beer selections that are more my style. In addition to <a href="http://21st-amendment.com/">21st Amendment's</a> Hell or High Watermelon, this year I also took a liking to <a href="http://www.oakbrew.com/">Oakshire OBF 26</a> an Imperial Oregon Ale.<br />
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In terms of pretzels, however, I would say the Oregon Brewers Festival has a doughy leg up on the International beerfest. While Fressen is delicious and if you can't tell by now, abundant in Portland restaurants, it's pretty hard to compete with <a href="http://gustavs.net/about-us">Gustav's</a> pretzel. Along with a sumptuous texture and abundant flavor the cheese fondue that accompanies this salty treat pushes this tasting experience into realms normally reserved for the original pretzel masters in Bavaria. In fact, Gustav's pretzel was what kicked off this blog and I must say it still stacks up pretty high in my book.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-3006568729423412132013-07-11T00:37:00.000-07:002013-07-11T00:38:53.305-07:00Pretzel Bun Burgers a Growing Trend! #PretzelLoveSongs In case there was any doubt pretzels were popular, it turns out pretzel-buns are a <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/nick-lachey-sings-love-song-wendy-pretzel-bacon-cheeseburger-article-1.1394025">growing trend</a>, especially during the summertime and my taste buds could not be more delighted.<br />
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In the last two months, Sonic Drive-In <a href="http://ir.sonicdrivein.com/releasedetail.cfm?ReleaseID=773490">introduced</a> two new Pretzel Dogs: the Cheesy Bacon Pretzel Dog and the Original Pretzel Dog (topped with mustard) and Wendy's <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/eats/nick-lachey-sings-love-song-wendy-pretzel-bacon-cheeseburger-article-1.1394025">sang from the rooftops</a> about their highly anticipated Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger </td></tr>
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For those of you who don't know me<i> </i>well, <a href="http://www.sonicdrivein.com/">Sonic Drive-In</a> holds a special place in my heart - aside from the fact I am from Oklahoma it was a place my family and friends and I frequented numerous times growing up and in college. The fact they are jumping on the pretzel bun bandwagon is just too good to be true. The worst part? I still haven't tried one! Oregon only has three Sonics, and not necessarily conveniently located for me. However, I will make it happen and whoever reads this blog (or follows me on Twitter) will hear all about it...<br />
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As for <a href="http://www.wendys.com/">Wendy's</a> I caved last night. Naturally, I needed to know what all the hype was about. Let me just say it was definitely love at first bite. The pretzel bun was soft, warm and the perfect ratio of bread to burger. The combination of the two cheeses, spinach leaves, onions and tomatoes (and obviously bacon) made something simple seem magical.<br />
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What's more, Wendy's carried out a <a href="http://nrn.com/advertising/look-wendys-360-campaign-pretzel-bacon-cheeseburger">'360 marketing' approach</a>, pairing this debut with a national TV and radio campaign, outdoor billboards and a <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Nick+Lachey">Nick Lachey</a> digital marketing campaign. In case you aren't familiar, if you tweet your love for the Wendy's Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger using #PretzelLoveSongs, Nick just might turn those tweets into tunes.<br />
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There will be a finale video in August. My stomach will be twisted in knots waiting to hear if Nick will sing my tweet - let alone RT my tweets...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-11973375586457702982013-06-17T18:51:00.002-07:002013-06-17T18:51:29.383-07:00Starbucks is now serving Bavarian Pretzels! <div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stoneground Dijon<br />Bavarian Style Pretzel <br />@Starbucks</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.starbucks.com/" style="text-align: center;">Starbucks</a><span style="text-align: center;"> is practically on every corner. In fact, in Portland alone there are at least </span><a href="http://www.starbucks.com/store-locator" style="text-align: center;">30 Starbucks locations throughout</a><span style="text-align: center;"> the metro-area - some of my favorites include the one in The Pearl and the one in Sellwood. So you can imagine my excitement when even Starbucks decided pretzels were a hot commodity too! </span></span><br />
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They are now offering an <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/asiago-cheddar-bavarian-style-pretzel?foodZone=9999">Asiago & Cheddar, Bavarian style pretzel</a> - with the cheddar melted perfectly inside the pretzel - and a <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/menu/food/bakery/stoneground-dijon-bavarian-style-pretzel?foodZone=9999">Stoneground Dijon, Bavarian style pretzel</a> - Dijon melted inside as well! I must say I was taken aback when I realized the mustard was inside of the pretzel, a very unique twist for coffee lovers on the go. </div>
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While I imagine there is some debate/preference on which pretzel is better, I will have to say that the Asiago & Cheddar one wins in my book.<br />
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Next time you head to Starbucks to get that morning coffee, grab a pretzel and let me know on Twitter - <a href="https://twitter.com/PDXpretzels">@PDXPretzels</a> - which salty carb you prefer!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asiago & Cheddar, Bavarian Style Pretzel @Starbucks </td></tr>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-25193307035059862272013-05-18T19:32:00.001-07:002013-05-18T19:32:27.966-07:00Now that was a Good(Life) Pretzel (Bend, OR) A little over a month ago a few of my friends and I hopped over to beautiful Bend, OR to conquer the <a href="http://www.visitbend.com/Bend_Oregon_Activities_Recreation/Bend-Ale-Trail/">Bend Ale Trail</a>. Out of all the breweries we visited, <a href="http://www.goodlifebrewing.com/beirhall.xhtml#menu">Goodlife Brewing </a>gets a stamp of approval in my book. <div>
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Not only did they have a great selection of ales, but they also had a delicious Bavarian Pretzel! This pretzel consists of their own spent grain salted soft pretzel paired with their German stone ground mustard and pale ale cheese sauce. The pretzel was good (a little flaky, and had a dinner roll-like taste), but the dipping sauce made it <i>excellent.</i> We couldn't get enough of it! </div>
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If you haven't been to Bend or tried to tackle the Bend Ale Trail I promise you, you won't be disappointed. However, you might be intoxicated. If you're up for the challenge, at least you know you can carb-load in style along the way...<div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.goodlifebrewing.com/beirhall.xhtml#menu">Goodlife Brewery Bavarian Pretzel </a></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-70745933479839662582013-05-06T21:39:00.002-07:002013-05-06T21:40:24.395-07:00A Breakdown of National Pretzel Day 2013: Breakside Brewery <div>
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If there is one random holiday to celebrate, National Pretzel Day is a solid choice. This year I started out by treating my lovely <a href="http://waggeneredstrom.com/">Waggener Edstrom</a> co-workers to <a href="http://www.nuvrei.com/">Nuvrei's</a> salt and cheddar pretzel bagels. What better way to start a Friday? To top off my morning, one of my co-workers bought me a Pretzel Day shirt!<br />
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After work, my friends and I then met up at <a href="http://www.breakside.com/menu-2/">Breakside Brewery</a> to try out their pretzels and have a few beers.<br />
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While not on the menu that night, rest assured they do have a mighty fine Bavarian Pretzel. This appetizer comes with two warm pretzels from Fressen Bakery (a popular bakery for pretzels in Portland), served with Dry Stout mustard (delicious and slightly spicy), Obatzda (not so delicious), Radishes (mainly for decor) and Onions.<br />
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While the Obatzda wasn't my favorite side, it deserves some love. Obatzda is a Bavarian cheese delicacy typically served in German biergartens. Traditionally it combines aged soft cheese (Camembert or Romadur), a third of butter in addition to salt, pepper, hot paprika powder and naturally, a small amount of beer. I love cheese spreads but this spread didn't add up for my taste buds, I preferred the mustard. </div>
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If you're dying to try this pretzel, I recommend going Sunday-Thursday from 3-6 PM and/or 9 PM to close so you can order from their <a href="http://www.breakside.com/testing/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/BreaksideMenu-HappyHour2.pdf">Happy Hour Menu</a>. We paid $9 per pretzels, but during Happy Hour the pretzel is only $4, quite a bargain for what you get in return.<br />
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Special thanks to all of my incredible friends for coming out to celebrate, your support for my pretzel adventures does not go unrecognized and it wouldn't have been near as much without you all there.<br />
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Cheers! </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-33601442583941906182013-04-26T10:36:00.000-07:002013-04-26T10:36:49.952-07:00Twist and Shout! It's National Pretzel Day!April 26th might be just another day to some people, but for salty carbo loving folks it is a day to celebrate!<br />
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This year I decided I would go to a brewery I had never been before - <a href="http://www.breakside.com/menu-2/">Breakside Brewery</a>. I have heard a lot of people rave about their Bavarian Pretzels so now it's time to put it to the test. Check back next week to see how it stacks up!<br />
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On a separate note, I also wanted to take a minute to congratulate a new pretzel-loving friend Andrea Slonecker, who just released a new cookbook <i><a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/food-drink/entertaining/pretzel-making-at-home.html">Pretzel Making at Home</a>. </i>Needless to say I am excited to try some of her tasty recipes. Andrea was also recently featured in <a href="http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/eat-and-drink/eat-beat/articles/portlands-best-pretzels-with-andrea-slonecker-april-2013">Portland Monthly Magazine</a>, just in time for National Pretzel Day and low and behold Portland Pretzels got a little shout out! (Huge thanks to Andrea and Portland Monthly Magazine's Allison Jones!) </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Andrea Slonecker: <i><a href="http://www.chroniclebooks.com/titles/food-drink/entertaining/pretzel-making-at-home.html">Pretzel Making at Home</a></i></td></tr>
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If you're celebrating National Pretzel Day send a picture of your tasty-gem to @PDXPretzels and while you're at it, give a little shout out to @AndreaSlonecker, congratulating her on her new cookbook!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-81371532762438438622013-04-13T10:43:00.003-07:002013-04-14T12:35:58.126-07:00Hooray for Nuvrei! Nestled in NW Portland, <a href="http://www.nuvrei.com/">Nuvrei</a> might have some mighty fine cakes and pastries, but they also have a delightful Smoked Cheddar and Wild Salmon Pretzel sandwich. This cheddar pretzel bagel comes with a chive cream spread, smoked wild sockeye salmon and smoked cheddar. <br />
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The cheddar pretzel sandwich was the perfect portion for a little brunch snack. It was served warm and had a perfectly soft consistency.<br />
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If you find yourself strolling around in NW treat your taste-buds and stop in to Nuvrei.<br />
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I also recently tried their "salt bagel" with a fried egg...stay tuned for that review!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-66769679681202406282013-03-17T21:17:00.001-07:002013-03-17T21:26:28.131-07:00Taber Tavern Has A Terrific Pretzel After hearing about a new place in town with pretzels, my friend and I finally got to see what it was all about. Nestled on East Burnside, <a href="http://www.tabortavern.com/">Taber Tavern</a> not only has pretzels on their menu, but they serve them two at a time with a house beer mustard (spicy) dipping sauce that I couldn't stop eating.<br />
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Although technically their pretzel is from <a href="http://fressenartisanbakery.com/">Fressen Artisan Bakery</a>, which has yet to make an appearance on my blog until today, Taber Tavern completes the picture with their delicious mustard sauce and the fact they serve them warm. I also might add that their pretzel tastes very similar to the pretzels I had the pleasure of eating when I was in Germany last September. However, fun fact - pretzels in Germany rarely get served warm. I personally like my pretzels being warm (and salty, obviously). </div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-6745573038541584122013-01-16T22:49:00.001-08:002013-01-16T22:53:22.895-08:00There's a Whole Lotta Love for Deschutes Brewery As soon as people wrap their heads around the fact I have a blog dedicated to reviewing pretzels that I eat in Portland one of their first questions is not surprisingly, "What's the best pretzel you have had in Portland?"<br />
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This is tough. However, my first off-the-top-of-my-head answer is usually...drum roll please...<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xdJKUURbrxo/UPedotH4aRI/AAAAAAAAAH4/5-3eIhwBWkk/s1600/708778_10101145525110387_1561404156_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xdJKUURbrxo/UPedotH4aRI/AAAAAAAAAH4/5-3eIhwBWkk/s320/708778_10101145525110387_1561404156_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/locations/portland">Deschutes Brewery</a>.</span><br />
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Whenever I have friends visiting from outside of the Portland this is usually where I take them. I have already blogged about their delicious pretzel (<a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/pub-menus/portland">might I remind you it comes with a creamy white cheese sauce with Black Butte Porter stone ground mustard sauce around the edge</a>), but for this post I wanted to share that not only am I a fan of Deschutes but when my friend Dalton and his wife Elaine were in Portland and I took them here they also would agree that it was a tasty little treat!<br />
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Earlier last year my friend Corey came to visit and he was in Portland for only about a week and we ended up going to Deschutes twice! I guess my taste in restaurants (pretzels) isn't too shabby! Fortunately, I live in a city that is off the charts when it comes to good places to eat!<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09384186311675073995noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-17489513251698286202013-01-01T19:27:00.000-08:002013-01-02T08:58:09.537-08:00Starting 2013 off right with a Grosse Neujahrs-Breze Happy New Year! <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neBo1Wj2yfc/UOOmWjWNhQI/AAAAAAAADfI/wt-ZVAQRx2I/s1600/Pretzel+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-neBo1Wj2yfc/UOOmWjWNhQI/AAAAAAAADfI/wt-ZVAQRx2I/s200/Pretzel+1.jpg" width="200" /></a>My sister sent me a <a href="http://germanfood.about.com/od/bread/r/neujahr-breze.htm">recipe</a> for a Grosse Neujahrs-Breze or a New Year's Pretzel and I figured it would be the perfect way to start off 2013 for Portland Pretzels! <br />
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In Germany, pretzels are a symbol of good luck. The Grosse Neujahrs-Breze is made a bit differently than some pretzels as three strands of dough are braided before you twist it into the traditional pretzel shape. <br />
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Additionally, pennies are randomly hidden in the dough and if you find it, your New Year's wish(es) are supposed to come true! While my breze doesn't look exactly like the picture included in the recipe I followed, I can assure you that it was delicious. Essentially a puffy, soft consistency with a slight lemony/salted flavoring. The added lemon flavor was likely because my nephew poured a little too much lemon juice into the batter vs. lemon zest like the recipe called for. Luckily it didn't ruin it :) I also hid raisins in the dough to reprsent the pennies, because I thought it would be more sanitary (and tastier for that matter). </div>
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If you are interested in twisting up your New Year's traditions I highly recommend following this <a href="http://recipe./">recipe.</a> <br />
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Cheers to 2013!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-29849486649193387882012-12-29T21:16:00.002-08:002012-12-29T21:36:49.188-08:00You Can Bank on The Vault <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Marshall's Pretzels - The Vault </td></tr>
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I love returning to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the holidays. In addition to being around my family and friends who I don't get to see often, as a lover of food I also get the opportunity to try new restaurants that pop up over the year. Lucky for me the lovely owners of <a href="http://elotetulsa.com/">Elot</a>e, opened up a new restaurant this year that serves pretzels! What used to be First National Bank (<a href="http://www.tulsalifestylepubs.com/2012/10/31/the-vault-vintage-cool-in-downtown-tulsa/">Tulsa's first ever drive-thru bank</a>) is now home to <a href="http://www.vaulttulsa.com/">The Vault</a>. Located on S. Cincinnati between 6th and 7th, this trendy new restaurant and bar adds a modern twist to the bank's original art deco design. The Tom Tom lounge, situated above the restaurant, was like walking into a scene from <a href="http://www.amctv.com/shows/mad-men/about">Mad Men</a>.<br />
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My friend, older sister and I sipped on our cocktails and treated ourselves to <a href="http://www.vaulttulsa.com/VaultMenu.pdf">Marshall's Pretzels</a> - made with Marshall brewery grains, everything salts, cheddar cheese and served with herb butter and dijon mustard - these tiny twists were soft, fluffy and flavorful.<br />
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While I didn't have time to treat my taste buds to some of their other tasty selections this time around, rest <span style="text-align: center;">assured I will be returning to this place the next time I come home. </span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-23886544541002376732012-12-16T23:51:00.000-08:002012-12-16T23:52:23.034-08:00Gaumenkitzel: Berkeley, CA I recently got to spend a week with my sisters, brother in law and nephews in San Francisco (well really Berkeley). The day after Thanksgiving we decided to go on a hike to <a href="http://www.nps.gov/muwo/index.htm">Muir Woods</a>, but before we left town we stopped by <a href="http://eastbay.citysearch.com/profile/672339780/berkeley_ca/gaumenkitzel.html">Gaumenkitzel</a> to grab a pretzel.<br />
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This little bakery/restaurant had several different types of pretzels. Naturally I opted for the salty one, but my sister ordered the one with sesame seeds so I got to try both. Now that I have been to Germany I can say that these pretzels were fairly authentic - the bread was a bit tough, minimal salt and served with butter.<br />
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I preferred the one with salt as the other one just reminded me of a bagel. I think my sister liked the one with sesame seeds better so win-win.<br />
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This Berkeley pretzel was definitely a step up from the other pretzel I had in Berkeley, but it doesn't even begin to compare to some of the tasty treats I have had the pleasure of eating in Portland. .<br />
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Gaumenkitzel also had garden gnomes scattered throughout their restaurant. This might have given them an extra cool point.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-46487195842049424442012-12-04T21:49:00.005-08:002012-12-04T21:49:53.743-08:00Some OKC Pretzel Love: RePUBlic Thanks to my little pretzel blog when I travel home or to other cities, people tend to recommend restaurants to me that serve pretzels. A couple of weeks ago I spent a few days in Norman/Oklahoma City and while I lived there for about 5 years it wasn't until this little trip back that my friend introduced me to the Home-Made Pub Pretzel at <a href="http://www.republicgastropub.com/home.html#republic/about">Republic</a>. In general they have an amazing <a href="http://www.republicgastropub.com/uploads/rgp-menu-1012.pdf">menu</a>, from salads and burgers to fish and chips. In fact I actually celebrated here after my college graduation but that was before I started rating pretzels as a hobby...<div>
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This pretzel was so good. Not only was it super soft and proportionately salty but it was served with Serrano-honey mustard and beer-cheese fondue sauce. I am partial to salt on my pretzel, but add in a mouthwatering cheese-sauce? You have yourself a winning pretzel every time in my book. (Note: For your Portlanders reading this post, I might remind you that <a href="http://widmerbrothers.com/">Widmer</a> and <a href="http://www.deschutesbrewery.com/">Deschutes</a> breweries have amazing cheese-sauces to compliment their pretzels.) </div>
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So if anyone reading this post wants to escape the Portland rain and head to Oklahoma City where the weather is sunny and in the 60's, be sure to pop into Republic (5830 N Classen Blvd) and have yourself a nice cold American beer and Home-Made Pub Pretzel! </div>
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P.S. Boomer Sooner ;) </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-77058734067515666982012-11-11T12:45:00.004-08:002012-11-11T12:49:23.319-08:00Brix Burger + Pretzel Bun It's funny how what we are looking for is sometimes right in front of us. This past week I was at <a href="http://www.brixtavern.com/">Brix Tavern</a> in the Pearl, 13th NW Hoyt (a place I have been to several times since I moved to Portland) only to discover that this whole time their <a href="http://www.brixtavern.com/pdf's/Brix%20Tavern%20Dinner%20Menu%20as%20of%2010-7-2012.pdf">Brix Burger</a> consists of house crafted ground short rib on a pretzel bun!<br />
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Naturally I ordered it. </div>
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I would have to say that while I prefer salt on my pretzels, the pretzel bun didn't need it. It was exceptionally soft and tasted as if at one point it might have had a little salt, but didn't need it anymore. I think I probably ate more of the bun than the actual burger, but I suppose that wouldn't be surprising to many. </div>
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If you're feeling your pretzel craving kick in but want more of a meal, I highly recommend giving this Brix burger a go. </div>
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On a non-pretzel related note I am also quite obsessed with <a href="http://www.brixtavern.com/pdf's/Brix%20Tavern%20Happy%20Hour.pdf">Brix Chips</a> as well. I mean who can pass up verde roasted pork shoulder/baked cheddar in a skillet served with grilled tomato salsa and cilantro cream and tortilla chips on the side? Not me. You can get them for $6.95 during their Happy Hour (everyday 3-6:30 PM, Monday's 3-close, Sun-Thursday 9:30 PM - 12 AM). </div>
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Dr. "L" Riesling is also quite good. </div>
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Have I given you enough reasons to check out Brix Tavern? If not, let me know <a href="https://twitter.com/PDXpretzels">@PDXPretzels</a> and I will give you even more reasons to check them out. </div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-23584665217121748752012-10-12T11:52:00.002-07:002012-10-12T12:49:44.242-07:00Oktoberfest: Munich, Germany: Let's Get Loud.A couple of weeks ago my sister and I met in Munich to begin our German-Prague adventure. We arrived in Munich the day after Oktoberfest started. I had only been in Munich less than an hour and everywhere I looked I saw pretzels and people everywhere wearing their traditional Bavarian garb (Dirndl's and Lederhosen.) Unfortunately, Dirndl's are a bit pricey (some range around 400 euros) especially in Munich, otherwise I would have bought one to wear in a heartbeat.<br />
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My sister and I started the morning off right, showing up at our friend Ralf's apartment to find him and his friends eating a traditional Bavarian breakfast: white sausages, a basket full of <i>pretzels</i>, and of course, bier. I couldn't have asked for a better first impression of Munich/Germany and we hadn't even made it to Oktoberfest yet!<br />
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Munich's Oktoberfest this year had about <a href="http://www.oktoberfest.de/en/article/About+the+Oktoberfest/About+the+Oktoberfest/The+first+Oktoberfest+2012+roundup/3262/2/">6.5 M visitors</a> (if my math is correct, I think that is close to about 11 times the population of Portland, OR!) needless to say it was quite a site. Even though I was jet-lagged, I was determined to eat my giant pretzel and drink my liter of Oktoberfest beer. Some of the tents hold about 10,000 people (some less) and it was absolutely nuts! Everyone is drinking, dancing on tables, eating copious amount of German food, laughing and just simply enjoying life. This goes on everyday until about 11:00 P.M. - then there are after parties at some other Biergartens on the same grounds as Oktoberfest (we got a chance to check those out too!)<br />
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I think one of my favorite moments was being in one of the Oktoberfest tents drinking a beer with my sister and dancing with everyone in the tent to J-Lo's song: <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q91hydQRGyM">Let's Get Loud</a>. It was simply fabulous, and that song is quite popular.<br />
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Fortunately I think we ate enough giant pretzels to keep the beer from affecting us...too much. <br />
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Stay tuned for some more posts about all of my German pretzels! Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-15481572383810240972012-09-21T22:25:00.001-07:002012-09-26T11:26:28.189-07:00Oktoberfest @WidmerIt's September and in Portland that means the beginning of grey skies, chilly nights and...Oktoberfest celebrations! Last year I had the opportunity to go to <a href="http://www.oktoberfest.org/">Mt. Angel for their Oktoberfest</a> (which had a mighty fine pretzel if I do say so myself) and this year my friends and I decided to hit up <a href="http://blog.oregonlive.com/thebeerhere/2012/09/widmer_oktoberfest_is_now_two.html">Widmer's Oktoberfest.</a> This is Widmer's 8th year since they restarted the event. Why did they cancel it for a brief period? Because it rained every year...so Portland. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uyMMjSKUko0/UF1GpzhBXcI/AAAAAAAADbY/p8o6yIgvKUU/s1600/Widmer.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="331" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uyMMjSKUko0/UF1GpzhBXcI/AAAAAAAADbY/p8o6yIgvKUU/s400/Widmer.png" width="400" /></a>This year they hosted it at the beginning of September and the weather was perfect and naturally the beer and pretzels were flowin'.<br />
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This is the second time I have had Widmer's pretzels and they rock. For this event they were offering their perfectly soft (and simply salted) pretzels with or without their Swiss cheese and Drop Top Amber Ale fondue sauce. Do you even have to guess which option I chose? This marks the second time I have eaten their house pretzel with fondue sauce and it is unbelievable. Their Gasthaus Pub on Russell Street <a href="http://widmerbrothers.com/files/2012/05/WB_Gasthaus_Menu_051112.pdf">has the option</a> to choose between a House pretzel with mustard or their house pretzel with the cheese fondue sauce. Normally priced at $4, and $5, respectively from 2:00 P.M - 5 P.M Monday - Friday you can get it for $3 during their <a href="http://widmerbrothers.com/files/2012/01/WB_Gasthaus_HappyHour_Menu.pdf">Happy Hour</a>. <br />
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Fun fact, home brewing was legalized in Oregon in 1979, and Kurt and Rob Widmer opened up the brewpub in 1984. This history is actually pretty fascinating, so if you're not already an expert on the Widmer brother's story, I recommend reading it for yourselves <a href="http://widmerbrothers.com/history/">here</a>. <br />
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While this event was a blast I can't help but think that the real Oktoberfest is way better. Fortunately I will get the chance to compare the two in about 2 days! Tomorrow I head for Munich and when I land on Sunday my sister and I will begin our Germany adventure beginning with THE Oktoberfest.<br />
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Stay tuned...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OwItz9WM8Po/UF1GsQRb_uI/AAAAAAAADbg/ris6IBUEdOw/s1600/4+PRETZELS.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="61" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OwItz9WM8Po/UF1GsQRb_uI/AAAAAAAADbg/ris6IBUEdOw/s320/4+PRETZELS.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4 twists! Swiss Cheese and Drop Top Amber Ale sauce is delectable. </td></tr></tbody></table><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-77783111424865428082012-09-04T22:08:00.004-07:002012-09-04T22:08:36.347-07:00Shotgun Sub Shop is to die for...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-seDaS791kUM/UEbO9iB6CoI/AAAAAAAADaw/fTFIf5M8wxg/s1600/photo%284%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-seDaS791kUM/UEbO9iB6CoI/AAAAAAAADaw/fTFIf5M8wxg/s320/photo%284%29.JPG" width="320" /></a>This past Labor Day weekend I fully embraced my inner Portlandian. Not only did I go for a run along the waterfront and sign-up for a yoga-hike through <a href="http://www.hikingyoga.com/yoga/our_story.php?id_menu=392&secc=story">Hiking Yoga</a> (highly recommend) but I also hit up some tasty food-carts. Which brings me to the focal point of this post: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShotgunSubShop">Shotgun Sub Shop's pretzel baguette sandwich</a>. Located at SW 10th Avenue, <a href="http://www.grilledcheesegrill.com/shotgun/">Shotgun Sub Shop</a> is only a couple of weeks old and is a part of the <a href="http://grilledcheesegrill.com/">Grilled Cheese Grill </a>family. <br />
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Before I dive into the dirty details, I must hand it to <a href="http://how2heroes.com/videos/profiles/about-matt-breslow">Matt Breslow</a>, founder of both Grilled Cheese Grill and Shotgun Sub Shop, as he knows what he is doing. From a branding perspective, the design of the food carts align so well together that regardless of whether they are next to each other, if you see one - chances are you can identify who is behind the other. Also, unlike some food carts, which have so many choices it is slightly overwhelming, the <a href="http://www.grilledcheesegrill.com/shotgun/">menus</a> at Shotgun Sub Shop (and Grilled Cheese Grill) are simple, clever and fun.<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjR8MbYSn94/UEbO_hzeNqI/AAAAAAAADa4/fqCVdr0IxwY/s1600/photo%283%29.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FjR8MbYSn94/UEbO_hzeNqI/AAAAAAAADa4/fqCVdr0IxwY/s320/photo%283%29.JPG" width="240" /></a>With names like <b>The Road Runner</b> or <b>The Miss Ellie </b>you can only imagine how much fun it must have been to create. If you don't want one of their specialty sandwiches you can also create your own in about 5 simple steps. Done and done.<br />
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Special thanks to <a href="http://pdx.eater.com/archives/2012/08/29/cart-talkopening-report.php">Eater PDX</a> for keeping me up-to-speed on the latest food cart offerings and highlighting Shotgun's Sub Shop's <b>pretzel baguette</b> sandwiches - because it was delicious. I decided to create my own, which happened to be<br />
pretty close to <b>The Bullfrog</b>, with the exception of ham and provolone as a substitute for cheddar. I am a lover of turkey sandwiches so the result of combining two of my favorite foods? Bingo. What's more is pairing the baguette with their <b>Shotgun Mustard</b> - couldn't have been a better choice. <br />
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It might not be a pretzel-baguette, but trying the <a href="http://grilledcheesegrill.com/">Jalapeno Popper</a> from Grilled Cheese Grill is definitely on my to-do list. <br />
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<i>While I haven't been too strict on my rating system, I am not going to put this pretzel baguette in the same category as my pub pretzels...if you chose to disagree feel free by tweeting your opinion to @PDXPretzels. </i><br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5703873056493582619.post-57007455230700749802012-08-26T12:55:00.002-07:002012-08-26T12:55:40.639-07:00Hopworks Pint-"O"-Pretzels is OK<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kL1kcwqzFxg/UDp981gQtLI/AAAAAAAADZo/3mROPP1TuTw/s1600/Hop+Works+Pint-o-Pretzels.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kL1kcwqzFxg/UDp981gQtLI/AAAAAAAADZo/3mROPP1TuTw/s320/Hop+Works+Pint-o-Pretzels.JPG" width="240" /></a>It is rare that I dislike the pretzels I eat, but the "Pint-O-Pretzels" at <a href="http://hopworksbeer.com/">Hopworks</a> on <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=2944+SE+Powell+Blvd+portland,+or&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=99.562065,106.699219&ie=UTF8&om=1&source=embed&hq=&hnear=2944+SE+Powell+Blvd,+Portland,+Multnomah,+Oregon+97202&ll=45.505384,-122.630939&spn=0.034468,0.104628&t=h&z=14">SE Powell</a> definitely didn't blow me away. The house made beer pretzel is served in a Hopworks pint glass, which I will admit is pretty cool, but as far as the actual pretzels go - not so impressed. Think: salt-less bread-sticks. If I were to change one thing to make them better it would be to add more salt. However, in Hopworks' defense my waitress did inform me that over the years a lot of their customers prefer limited salt. Plus, they are pre-salted so the chef's don't have a lot of control apparently...<br />
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The only saving grace? Their HUB Lager mustard and cheese sauce. Now that was delicious. The waitress even gave me an extra cheese sauce to take with me and my left over pretzels. <br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLGOqZNqNXs/UDp9_CA-SeI/AAAAAAAADZw/woyNY0jBr9w/s1600/Hop+Works+Sauces.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DLGOqZNqNXs/UDp9_CA-SeI/AAAAAAAADZw/woyNY0jBr9w/s200/Hop+Works+Sauces.JPG" width="150" /></a></div>
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Just because I am not a fan of this Pint-O-Pretzels, doesn't necessarily mean I don't recommend others try it. In fact, I would say that people should probably try it as I am finding out more and more that I might have an excessive affinity for salt, and some are just not salt people. Plus Hopworks is a pretty cool place and one of Portland's first <a href="http://www.hopworksbeer.com/going_green.php">Eco-Brewpubs</a>. I am a fan of their <a href="https://maps.google.com/maps?q=3947+N.+Williams+Ave.+Portland,+OR+97227&hl=en&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=47.838189,99.316406&vpsrc=0&hnear=3947+N+Williams+Ave,+Portland,+Oregon+97227&t=m&z=16">Bike Bar</a> on N. Williams.<br />
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If you are still a bit skeptical after reading this post you can always try this pretzel for a dollar cheaper during their <a href="http://hopworksbeer.com/documents/Hopworks_HappyHourMenu_PROOF.pdf">Happy Hour</a> (3-6 daily, 9-close Sunday-Thursday and 10-close Friday-Saturday.) If you do, tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/PDXpretzels">@PDXPretzels</a> and let me know what you think.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkLiUQqkx6I/UDp-T1wqdQI/AAAAAAAADaA/P32Gy6esK1g/s1600/HOLLY_RATING+6+-+Copy+-+Copy+%282%29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="68" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QkLiUQqkx6I/UDp-T1wqdQI/AAAAAAAADaA/P32Gy6esK1g/s320/HOLLY_RATING+6+-+Copy+-+Copy+%282%29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pint-O-Pretzels is OK...saving grace? HUB Lager mustard and cheese dips </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0