The trick with tags is to hit the right level of generality. For example, "food" is too general. What's the point? But should there be a tag for every food that happens to play a role in a blog post? Pretzels came up in the first post today. So did crackers. I already had a "crackers" tag — I love crackers — and it felt like the right time to start a "pretzels" tag.
The retroactive application of a tag is a bit of a chore, but it's relatively easy when you have a distinctive word to search for, but it's so rewarding to turn up a lot of varied posts, which is what happened this time.
There was the story of a disastrous crowd crush in 1896 in which a promise of pretzels played a role.
There was the time Angela Merkel served Barack Obama "a breakfast of white sausages, pretzels and foaming lager."
There was the one about Billie Eilish that had a philosophical reference — "I think, therefore I am" — and had me saying "I wish I had a 'pretzel' tag, but I won't start one because it would be annoying to add retrospectively, given the metaphorical use of the word." Hah! Lazy me. And I didn't find any metaphorical pretzels today. I guess I'm not one of those people who say "pretzel logic" or "twisted himself up like a pretzel," and I never happened to quote anybody who was.
There was the woman who "squirrels away nibble-friendly fare like string cheese, pretzels, apples and trail mix in her purse" to deal with her husband who gets "hangry." Ha ha, a metaphorical squirrel... and I went ahead and gave it my "squirrel" tag.
Best of all, there was the "Pretzels and free will" post from the first year of this blog, one of the best posts in the history of this blog.
Posts
34 comments:
Pretzel logic. You anticipated my question. I'm both impressed and disappointed (disappointed that it didn't come up--it's a phrase I find useful in discussions that touch on partisan politics).
Personal Opinion: Of all the "salty snacks", pretzels are now and have always been my least favorite. For me they are a tasteless salt delivery vehicle.
At least they're not fried ...
You must have been so tickled to find no "pretzel logic" usage. What a pleasure to look back over the years and find you were never cliche and that your mental wanderings had been so varied.
Ann, can you explain the "r" tag?
I was surprised to see George W Bush didn’t make an appearance. Was that before you started blogging?
"Ann, can you explain the "r" tag?"
Only if you first entertain me with your guesses.
Ah, yes. That was 2002.
"I was surprised to see George W Bush didn’t make an appearance. Was that before you started blogging?"
Yes, it happened in '02. I started in '04.
You might think I would have referred to it at some point, but I didn't, or somehow I did it without writing "pretzel."
Hooray for pretzels! Congratulations! I love pretzels, ever since I was a kid. Never dunked them in water, though. Rods were big as a kid. We’d take them to the beach- do they have sand in them or is that salt? Does it matter?…
Hard, soft doesn’t matter. I’m the pretzel yang that eats the pretzels in the Chex mix. Auntie Annie’s and a margarita at the slc airport. Yum. PA always had good pretzels- Snyder’s in the box. Lately its been the Zapps Voodoo pretzels with the mustard cheeto-like dust. They stand up to the breakfast stout. I think they’re from PA but it is always hard to tell as Publix gets regional foods shipped to their stores for all the snow birds. I get Marky Mark’s family pickles, too…
Love the pluckiness evidenced by girl A's final declaration, "I ate the pretzel crumb". Made me wonder what her personality is like now. She's in her mid twenties. Did she go to college and is now, sadly, brainwashed with victimhood?
My father used to eat "Dutch pretzels." I still remember the huge tins delivered by Charles Chips. When the chips were all eaten, there'd still be pretzels left, but you'd have to be desperate to want to eat one of them — desperately hungry or desperately in need of encouraging yourself to drink more beer. No, wait, here's the strategy with Dutch pretzels — which are very thick and hard. You're watching sports and have a beer and you want something to eat along with the beer, but you don't want to eat much. Those Dutch pretzels would be there and eatable and they'd prevent you from eating anything else. Maybe a little Lebanon bologna.
Anyway, those of you who, like Posh Spice, rely on pretzels as diet food could up your game by using Dutch pretzels. Eat all you want. You won't want much at all.
I remember great soft pretzels — shops where a guy would be whirling the dough into a pretzel in the window. An amusing show for the kids. You'd see the pretzels on racks going into the machinery and emerging perfectly brown and burning hot. What a great food from my childhood!
If you say you don't like pretzels, my question is what pretzels have you experienced?
Ann is right. For many salty, savory snacks ripping open the bag is pulling the pin on the grenade. Pretzels are beer pacifiers.
Dutch pretzels and Lebanon bologna — these are artifacts of my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage.
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Charles Chips, dutch pretzels and Lebanon bologna
Thanks Ann for transporting me, if for just a moment, back 50 years sitting in the living room with Dad watching a ball game.
“Only if you first entertain me with your guesses.”
Pertaining to pirates?
I see that you can buy one of those Charles Chips tins (empty and beat up) on Etsy for $28.
Obligatory Seinfeld reference: These pretzels are making me thirsty!
https://youtu.be/yMe7mlRv8UE
I grew up in Ocean City, NJ and Lebanon bologna was such a sandwich staple. My mom insisted that it be freshly sliced and very, very thin. In fact, if the deli person didn't understand just how thin she wanted it, she would then say "shaved".
Ann Althouse said...
"Dutch pretzels and Lebanon bologna — these are artifacts of my Pennsylvania Dutch heritage."
Every time my mom-in-law would travel easr, she always brought back a bag of Utz pretzel pieces and Lebanon bologna. Hard pretzels were an acquired taste for me, but I took to Lebanon bologna right away. Now we live but a short drive from the Utz factory, but since their products are ubiquitous in any of our local stores, we don't even have to take a ride to Hanover.
Is the “r” tag a note to yourself to revisit the post for possible revision or addendum?
Robert wagner doesnt seem like a killer, although he could be a thief (see pink panther)
Ann Althouse said...
"Ann, can you explain the "r" tag?"
Only if you first entertain me with your guesses.
An abbreviation of "the three r's. In that post, it referred to the only r that actually starts with an r--reading.
"Never dunked them in water, though"
I used to shove a pretzel rod into a bottle of 7 UP or Sprite. It would fizz and fizz. The soaked pretzel was delicious, but you ended up with this half-bottle of salty pop.
"Each year, Goethe aficionados from all over the world gather in the Pennsylvania Dutch Country for ten days of lectures, discussions, and workshops on his writings, concluding with a performance of Goethe's Faust in the original German....And all of the pretzels you can eat."
-Arthur Dietrich
I love pretzels with mustard.
Rory, thanks for the Arthur Dietrich quote. He was the man!
Contortions. Women and men sanctioned to assume forms that are inimical to Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness... and a viable civilization. Baby, I'll pay to abort the "burden", just keep the "benefits" flowing.
Ann Althouse said...
I see that you can buy one of those Charles Chips tins (empty and beat up) on Etsy for $28."
Don't know if it is the same tin but Charles Chips are still available. I find them dangerous to my waist so therefore I don't buy them anymore, at least for now.
"a breakfast of white sausages, pretzels and foaming lager."
Wow! I am definitely having this for breakfast tomorrow morning.
I've noted a new trend (or seems new to me) of over-seasoning pretzels. My lovely wife is huge fan of Dot's pretzels. I find them tasty but the over-seasoning makes them feel like something other than a pretzel, like a horribly malformed Dorito or some such.
Semi-related: Who could ever resist dipping their finger into the salt debris left at the bottom of a pretzel bag? Maybe that was the inspiration for the Dot's seasoning onslaught.
“He dove into the Dutch Oven and snagged a pretzel.”
This conversation ... is making me ... THIRSTY!
The liquor store in Berkeley Heights NJ was always a fascinating place for a kid in the mid-1970s. Lots of bizarrely ornate (to me) glass liquor bottles and a cool adult vibe. It was like sneaking into somewhere we knew we did not belong. Pop would take us and the counter guy would give us pretzel rods from the glass jar. That was the highlight. I never paid any attention to what Pop bought. Cheap beer and jug wine (E&J by the gallon) most likely.
You can get the tin with the chips or mini-pretzels at Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/stores/CharlesChips/page/33AA7813-1CFF-4C34-9E7D-E5CC30888669?ref_=ast_bln
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