Rolling into the new year

SANDUSKY — Eating or making a new year's pretzel is a tradition for many people. Sanduskians remember buying the fancy pretzels from bakeries including Kanzler's, Feddersen's, Smith's, Knoerle's, Michel's, the Sandusky Baking Co., among many others. Who made the best pretzel can spark a lot of debate among the community. Even though those bakeries have been closed for years, several bakeries operating in the area today continue to roll out the pretzels. A new year's pretzel is neither crunchy nor salty. It's chewy and washed with a glaze. And it's made in different sizes up to 36 inches across. The pretzel custom was brought to Sandusky from Germany. When printed cards didn't exist, people in some areas of Germany exchanged golden brown New Year's greetings — a rich, bun-type pretzel. Dating back to about 1900, there was a heavy migration of German people to the Sandusky and Cincinnati areas, according to a past Register article. The old holiday tradition became part of the new year's celebration in Sandusky. Sandusky native Lisa Dutton, who lives in Toledo now, has ties to Knoerle's Bakery. Her grandmother was Margaret Knoerle. Margaret's father was Charles Knoerle Sr., and he started the bakery, which was on West Jefferson Street at Clinton Street. Dutton vaguely recalls the bakery but has vivid memories of the new year's pretzels. "I remember eating the pretzels and my dad always telling me that Knoerle pretzels tasted the best out of all the bakeries in Sandusky," Dutton said. "The pretzel was a big part of New Year's Eve. It was special and fun to bring one home and wait for the new year to cut into it." The family would wish everyone good luck and then make ham and Swiss cheese sandwiches. The adults usually toasted with a drink also. About seven years ago, Dutton received the Knoerle pretzel recipe and started making them herself. "I wanted to make the Knoerle pretzel because I missed its taste," she said. Lisa said she broke down the bakery recipe and made different versions for her dad and aunt to taste. "I nailed it on the third try," Dutton said. The secret was the amount of mace that Knoerle used, and Dutton believes the flour was a factor, too. The bakery only used King Arthur flour, she noted. When she can, Dutton likes to make several pretzels a year to share with close friends and family. It helps her connect with family and with Sandusky. "A huge part of making the pretzels is remembering past family and friends, the hope for a happy new year and the love we have surrounding us as we ring it in," Dutton said. For anyone who wants to try making a pretzel on their own, Dutton provided some advice. "When you make a pretzel, it doesn't have to be perfect," she said. "It's more about making memories and having fun with family and friends." Judy Stanforth, who lives in the Milan area, started making pretzels on her own about four years ago. She remembers when her dad worked at New Departure and that he would always go to Feddersen's for a pretzel just before the new year. "He told us that it was a German tradition, so it would be our tradition," Stanforth said. When Stanforth saw a pretzel recipe printed in the Register, she decided to make a pretzel herself because she enjoys baking. The pretzel never has the same look twice, however, the flavor is constant, Stanforth said. This year, she made six pretzels to keep out-of-town family supplied because they can't buy the pretzels where they live. "I like playing in the kitchen, so it's an easy way to provide a tradition we've had for years," Stanforth said. Traditional new year's pretzel recipe (Makes two large pretzels) Ingredients • 1/2 cup sugar • 2 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. mace • 2 packages dry yeast • 1/2 tsp. sugar • 1-3 cup very warm water (110-115 degrees) • 1/2 stick butter or margarine • 1 cup room-temperature milk • 3 beaten eggs • 4 1/2 cups flour Directions 1. Place 1/2 cup sugar, salt and mace in large bowl and set aside. 2. Dissolve yeast and 1/2 tsp. sugar in warm water. 3. In small saucepan, mix milk and butter and heat until it melts. 4. Add milk mixture to dry mixture in bowl, add eggs and yeast mixture. 5. Stir in flour and cover with towel. Put in a warm place until it doubles (1-2 hours). 6. Put the whole ball of dough on a floured board and knead for a few minutes. 7. Divide dough into two equal parts. Knead one part into a strip, 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter. 8. Place on a greased cookie sheet with smooth side of the dough up and form a pretzel. Repeat with the other dough half. Cover and put it in a warm place until it doubles in size again. 9. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. As soon as the pretzels are taken from the oven, brush the tops with glaze of 1 1/2 tsp. of cornstarch and 1/2 cup of water, boiled together until clear. This recipe, which was from Charlotte Heinz, published with a past Register article.