Pretzels for Lent

February 27, 9:33 AMDenver Dining ExaminerStan Dyer

Previous Next

1 comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Denver Dining Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Joan of Arc, Patron Saint of New Orleans

You have to love the history of popular foods.  It seems like every one has or develops any number of improbable but interesting “creation” stories.  Even with the humble pretzel, there are stories of priests giving them to children as rewards for prayers, of bakers’ errors resulting in this new, tasty treat, or of the ancient roots of this traditional food.  As always, any of those stories may be true, even if they are hard to prove, but a more practical explanation still makes more sense, albeit not as fun.  Whatever the story and whatever the truth is, pretzels are now a very traditional Lenten food. 

There was a time in the Christian world when more people were more devoted to their religion.  They were almost required to be devout by law.  In fact, there was a time when the law of the Church was the main law of the land.  During those times, all of the Christian holidays were strictly observed and many had specific rules attached to the observation.  One of those Christian traditions was and is Lent. 

During Lent, the forty days from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, Christians are encouraged to exercise a period of abstinence, specifically in their diets.  In days gone by, Catholics, particularly, were required to abstain from all meats and foods derived from animals such as butter, cheese, eggs and milk.  Today, we call such a diet “Vegan”, but in the days before stores and readily available supermarket foods, animal products were considered luxuries.  Abstaining from the luxury of animal products helped Christians to get closer to their God, understand the suffering of Christ and, most of all, prepare for the Easter feast.  Pretzels made the path easier. 

Made from just flour and water, (salt is OK), they were the perfect Lenten food.  Even the easily recognizable and tradition “twist” has its roots in religion.  The folded twist is meant to resemble arms crossed in prayer.  At one time, people crossed their arms across their chests in pretzel fashion when praying instead of simply putting their two hands together.  In fact, in Latin, the word for these braids of bread was “bracellae”, or “little arms”.  The word was later corrupted in German to “bretzel”, and, once the voicing was lost from the bilabial stop, it became “pretzel”.  Many people following Catholic Law would only eat one meal a day during Lent, but would ease the in between time by snacking on pretzels. 

Today, pretzels are a common snack food enjoyed by all in many shapes and forms throughout the year.  Very few people who enjoy snacking on pretzels are even aware of their association with Lent and the Church.  Nonetheless, the history exists and the traditional folds are both the proof and a continuing reminder.  This Lent, when you enjoy a pretzel, notice the folded arms in prayer and take time to thank God for your continuing abundance, and not having to pray for food.  Even in a country as great as America, 1 in 8 cannot afford enough food to maintain good health.  If you have a pretzel, you have something, and that is plenty to be thankful for. 

(Best?  Pretzels are the best food for dining during Lenten fasting)