Uhu Baking

Hi there. Have we met before? Perhaps on your breakfast plate, or maybe you’ve come across me in a doughnut or ice cream (I’ve been getting around these days). I’m salty, smoky bacon bathed in sweet maple syrup, and you can now find me on Uhu’s soft pretzels. People couldn’t get enough of me at The Secret Fork last month! I’ll be getting down this summer at the Levitt Pavilion Pasadena‘s concert series on select dates. We should get to know each other, don’t you think?

There’s nothing like an authentic German pretzel — glossy, crisp, and coppery brown on the outside, fluffy and doughy on the inside. I’ve been working on creating a bite of Bavaria here at home, and I’ve found that the key is lye, or as the Germans call it, “lauge” (hence the term “laugenbretzel”). Yes, lye is toxic and can burn your skin. But dip the pretzel in a lye-water solution before baking (make sure to wear gloves); the toxicity of the lye bakes off in the oven, and you’re left with the ultimate comfort carb.

Now I’m experimenting with toppings — cheddar cheese, feta, pumpkin and sunflower seeds. My mother thinks I should try chocolate chips. Maybe I’ll even wrap a pretzel in bacon.