AI Overview
“The brown coating on a pretzel isn't a sauce or glaze, but rather a gelatinized crust created by dipping the unbaked dough into an alkaline solution (traditionally food-grade lye or baking soda). This high-pH bath alters the surface starches and accelerates the Maillard browning reaction in the oven.

This chemical process is responsible for three distinct characteristics of a pretzel:
* Color: It produces the deep, dark mahogany brown exterior.
* Texture: It gelatinizes the surface, creating a signature tight, chewy skin with a glossy shine.
* Flavor: It imparts that unique, slightly tangy, savory taste. …”

Dot’s Pretzels (Original) are excellent but I can recommend another contender for the crown:

Town House Flipsides Original Pretzel
https://a.co/d/04CFaQ3m

“Pretzel on one side, cracker on the other”
But the overall effect is definitely pretzel. Apparently only one side gets the lye water treatment.

BTW, the best bagels are boiled in lye water. Coincidence? I think not.

These are my favorite:
UTZ Sour Dough Dipping Daisies . The problem is I have never found them in stores around me. I stock up when I visit the northeast.

Mrs. A brought home some dill pickle flavor Rold Gold pretzel sticks. I don't usually care for Rold Gold products, but these appear to be a blatant knockoff of Dot's, and are not bad. My usual pretzel gotos are the extra dark or sourdough.

I'm baking a couple of loaves of sourdough bread today, I might just try a baking soda wash on one to see what it does to the crust.

The Utz Honey wheat are my #1

Great German Bakery that we took rides to in Yalaha Florida, awesome goods including pretzels both traditional tied, and Rolls etc.

Make you jump up and slap your pappy...

https://yalahabakery.com/shop/...s/pretzel-or-bretzel

I may not enjoy a corndog, but I'll eat the hell out of a fresh pretzel.

Dots are good but I'm partial to Utz's, especially the pumpernickel. But really, I'll take any pretzel over chips.

Long ago, the bazaar on Baltimore Pike in Clifton Heights outside of Philly had a shop that made the best soft pretzels that are still my standard for all soft pretzels to this day. The shop was mostly windows so you could watch them make and bake them. Getting them right out of the oven was awesome.

quote:

Originally posted by Minnow:
These are my favorite:
UTZ Sour Dough Dipping Daisies . The problem is I have never found them in stores around me. I stock up when I visit the northeast.

Those do look good. Sour dough! And I like the cracker-like form factor too. Unfortunately, they’re not available here in San Diego either. Not even via Amazon.

Someone might start a business exporting them from the northeast.

Clancy's Pub Pretzels which can be found at Aldi's are great and much cheaper than Dot's. I recently discovered Dot's Snack Mix which is just off the charts good!

Unique Extra Dark Splits - for those that like their pretzels well-done.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

I used to eat Dots, but my wife and I got tired of the taste, but who knows, we might give it another try. We loved Utz Sourdough Hards, but our local store stopped carrying it last year so we switched to Snyders Sourdough Hard Pretzels.

Minnow, I just ordered six bags of UTZ Sour Dough Daisy pretzels from the website in your link.

Thank you, sir.

The process was smooth. There were several payment options. I chose Apple Pay.

A local snack food Co. "Grippo's" has good pretzels, very salty. When the bag is empty there is about 3 Tablespoons of salt left in the bag. Lick your finger, stick it in the bottom of the bag, then lick your finger! Very good for you!
They also make the best BBQ chips I've ever had.

https://www.grippos.com/home/

quote:

Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Minnow, I just ordered six bags of UTZ Sour Dough Daisy pretzels from the website in your link.

Thank you, sir.

The process was smooth. There were several payment options. I chose Apple Pay.

I hope you enjoy them, let us know how you like them! They can be addictive with a good dip.

The vast majority of pretzels are made in Pennsylvania so living right next to PA most stores around here offer a good selection. These Utz sourdough are my go-to pretzels so I usually have a couple bags on hand.

One of my favorite evening snacks is a small plate of Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, pretzels, and of course a cold beer.

It’s surprising that so many folks in this thread like Utz brand pretzels. I’d not known of Utz until now.

Utz might be more of a regional eastern brand. I know when I travel to the south or beyond mid-west the pretzel selection at supermarkets is usually pretty sparse. They might have something like Rold Gold which taste sweet, I think Frito Lay uses corn syrup or sugar for an ingredient.

Publix carries Utz, it's a go to for me, take a bag of the thins and mix them with the sourdough, that's my evening snack, no beer though....