September 29th, 2023: Sourdough Soft Pretzels

Fall has set in with its crisp mornings and drizzly weather. Not the best week for the fair but fun to see the bustle and lights even through the mist! I went for a walk with my eldest daughter this morning and she was enchanted by the mystery of a cloudy misty morning. 

October begins already on Sunday and while Oktoberfest for the Germans is wrapping up it still seems a good time to offer one of my favorite things to make: sourdough soft pretzels. I’ve eaten a lot of pretzels – we lived in southern Germany for nearly three years, where pretzels reign supreme. They’re different than their northern counterparts; chewier and less dry. When I set out to make them the first time, I was drawing on memories of tender, chewy pretzels with just the slightest crunch as you bite into them. I make them the traditional German way with a dip in a food-safe lye solution before baking, and sprinkling with coarse salt. These are the closest I have had to southern German pretzels (Brezeln) since we lived there! While best on the day they’re baked, they will also freeze well. 

This month I am offering a new option: a monthly subscription! If you enjoy getting fresh bread but have a hard time remembering to order, this will allow you to order once and be set up all month. I’ve laid out the bakes of the week for October, and you can choose to order the bake of the week, or a weekly loaf of sourdough, or any combination of those. If you’re interested in a combination you don’t see (like a bake of the week for two weeks and sourdough for the other two), just reach out and I’ll be glad to make a custom order. Choose your preferred pickup day when you order, but also know that I can adjust that for you if you need to adjust for a week. 

Other bakes this month will include pumpkin cinnamon scones, a hearty sourdough loaf with spelt, rye, and whole wheat, and a sourdough pumpkin loaf that is light, airy, and lightly spiced – a change from the dense pumpkin loaf we all know. As always, my crusty loaf of house sourdough will be available each week. You can also continue to order weekly; that process will continue to work the same way.

Please order and subscribe by Tuesday – that gives me enough time to have orders ready by Thursday. Most sourdough items take 2-3 days! The website should be up and running well with credit card payments if you prefer that option. Otherwise cash, check, and cashapp are all available. If you run into any trouble or frustration in the ordering process, just shoot me an email with what you’d like and I’ll take care of it!