Has the phrase “jumped the shark” jumped the shark?
The origin of the “Pretzel Roll” in American restaurants seems to be traced back to the German “lye roll” or Laugengebäck. Using a process similar (and the same dough) to making pretzels, the rolls are dipped in lye before baking. The lye (washing or baking solution if you don’t want to handle lye) produces the unique browning effect. Out of the oven, the rolls (like pretzels) are dotted with large grains of salt.
My first introduction to these buns going mainstream was the seasonal Oktoberfest burger at Red Robin. Steak N Shake has offered one as well.
Now they are widespread, available full time at Wendy’s, Sonic, and Smashburger, to name a few.
Most grocery stores carry some variation of them, and there is even an upstart national brand out of Milwaukee, called Pretzilla.
The best ones, IMHO, are the ones found in authentic German bakeries. I pick them up at the Original Bavarian Sausage Shop in Tigard, OR, just down the street from one of Mrs. Burgerdogboy’s boyfriend’s house. She should be mindful to bring some home when she’s over there!
The German recipes are more appealing to me than the US fast food ones that seem to have added some sweetener to their recipes, honey? Brown sugar? Anyway, I don’t like “sweet” buns for burgers. Just a personal thing.
So how long do you think pretzel buns will be around in fast food outlets? And what’s next? How about onion rolls?
Original Bavarian Sausage’s Pretzel Bun
pretzel bun review