A soft pretzel is a boiled-then-baked, yeast-leavened bread twisted into a knot or loop, with a chewy interior and a shiny, deep-brown crust. The crust and color come from briefly dipping the shaped dough in a lye or baking-soda solution before baking, a step that also gives pretzels their distinctive flavor.
According to a widely repeated but historically unconfirmed legend, pretzels originated around the 7th century with Italian monks, who baked the twisted dough as a reward for children who learned their prayers; the shape is said to represent arms crossed in prayer, and the simple flour-water-salt dough suited Lenten fasting rules.
Soft pretzels are eaten as a snack or appetizer with mustard, cheese sauce, or chocolate for dipping, and are especially associated with Germany and the U.S. Mid-Atlantic. Bavarian-style pretzels tend to be larger and chewier than the American mall or stadium version.