Today is National Pretzel Day. I am always amazed at how many foods have their own holidays. Growing up my father loved pretzels, just about any kind, hard or soft, sticks, twisted, large or small. My favorite are the soft ones which are twisted and look like what in my mind is a pretzel. As a child, I would hold them up to my face and think they reminded me of a face. Two holes for the eyes and one for the mouth and the nose was the space where they came together.
As an adult, I was amazed when I learned that the crossing of the pieces was linked back to the ways people used to hold their arms when they were praying, crossed. Today we hold our hands together in prayer. However, in the 600’s people crossed their arms in prayer. The three holes were representative of the Holy Trinity (the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit).[1] Learning this gave me a new perspective on what is one of my favorite treats, the pretzel, especially the soft ones that I love to eat.
Centuries later the pretzel became a food served at weddings to symbolize the union of a couple, the tying of the knot. It symbolized the blending of two lives into one united through the holding of hands.
Pretzels have also been used as a food eaten during lent when other foods were prohibited by the Catholic church. Just learning about the history of this treat has made me realize how stuffed they are with mystery. It made me wonder if is one of the reasons I love making stuffed pretzels for my friends.
One of my favorite recipes to make when having friends over is a Pampered Chef Pepperoni Pizza Stuffed Pretzel I have always thought it was a fun and different way to eat pizza with my friends. Now I am wondering if there has been more to it then I realized. When I make these with my friends now, they will remind me of the ways are lives are intertwined and filled with love, light, and positive energy.
Even the making of them now takes on new meaning, as I roll out the dough, I begin thinking about how the Ultimate Consciousness has rolled out a plan for my life. It is then filled with experiences for me so that I can fulfill the purpose for which I have been created. All of this is rolled up and intertwined with others. There are times that I must spend in the oven, allowing myself to prepare to serve and be served. Then and only then am I like my stuffed crust pizza able to nourish myself and those with whom I am communing.
It is more then just a pretzel, it is a time for us to give thanks for all that has been stuffed into our lives, the experiences that have baked us, and the ways our friendships have twisted us and intertwined our lives.
[1] http://www.history.com/news/hungry-history/the-pretzel-a-twisted-history