Pretzel Rolls

[Dinsdale45]

I see these used in places that specialize in gourmet sandwiches, but I've never seen them around Boston. Where can I find these?

[tamerlanenj]

So is there a difference between a pretzel roll and a pletzel roll?

[Dinsdale45]

I think pletzels are made from bialy dough, and just formed into a baguette shape, or flattened out.

[yumyum]

It's pretty easy in the day of the intarwebs to find out: (from wikipedia)

Pletzel, a traditional Jewish delicatessen specialty, is an onion and seed covered cracker, similar to, but less airy than a lavash cracker. The dough for pletzel resembles challah dough, but it is rolled very thin and is not allowed to rise.[

[Dinsdale45]

Don't believe everything you read online. My wife is from Brooklyn, grew up around delis, and a pletzel is not a cracker. It's a doughy roll that tastes like a bialy. I've eaten them and we have some in our freezer from our last NY trip.

[yumyum]

Looking further at google images, I see the pletzel can vary from the cracker, to something more like a bialy. I bet this is another case of "the norm is what you grew up with".

That being said, I'd be happy to have some pletzels in my freezer.

http://www.google.com/images?q=pletze...

[yumyum]

Also it's pretty fun looking through all the recipes and explanations of the pletzel. I'm a huge fan of the bialy, so I might try my hand at these if I am still going stir-crazy from the snow over the weekend.

[Dinsdale45]

We've ordered them from this place, too. Not bad for a fix, but not fresh.

http://bialys.com/onionflatsorpletzel...

[lulatula]

I've bought them before in the self serve bakery department at Whole Foods in Framingham. Not sure where they get them from but they are delicious. They are also not sandwich sized but more like a dinner roll.

[MichaelB]

I noticed today that Crema Cafe in Harvard Square is serving one of their sandwiches on a "homemade pretzel roll!" They seemed pretty psyched about them. I didn't try it but their baked goods are generally very good - I didn't see them sold separately from the sandwiches but they might do it if asked.

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Crema Cafe
27 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138

[phelana]

L'Espalier served them with lobster for afternoon tea last spring when I dined there...

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L'Espalier
774 Boylston St, Boston, MA 02199

[pondrat]

Whole Foods in Wayland usually has them. Einsteins used to have a pretty good pretzel bagel but I think they discontinued them.

[Food4Thought]

South end Formaggio Kitchen has some that are very good, unfortunately I don't know where they get them from.

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Formaggio Kitchen
244 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138

[femmevox]

The Mariposa in Central Square bakes them.

[digga]

I was going to chime in about Mariposa. The sandwiches on them are delicious!

[pondrat]

Is there a particular sandwich filling that they tend to pair with the pretzel roll more than others at Mariposa ?

[digga]

They had a chicken sandwich on pretzel roll, but since I don't eat chicken, they graciously made a veggie sandwich for me. The roll made the sandwich.

[scotty27]

I second Swiss Bakers. They are the real thing.

www.shrinkinthekitchen.com

[cpingenot]

Yep, I first had them at an event at the Swiss Consulate in Cambridge, which was catered by Swiss Bakers. They had a stand all summer at the Farmer's market at South Station last year.
There was also a recipe in the NYT in the last year about how to make real pretzels that I think had a recipe for the rolls too (it involves lye, which is a bit daunting, but is evidently key to the "snap" in the texture.

[pondrat]

I saw that article and was tempted to try to make a batch but the lye freaked me out as well. I'd rather drive to Reading than croak from a pretzel recipe mishap.

[grant.cook]

Someone on another blog pointed me to an article in the NYTimes by McGee on using "baked" baking soda for home made pretzels, and it did give the pretzels some nice browning.

Just remember to dip the pretzels in some water after the alkali bath to rinse off any residue.

[pondrat]

I typically use the baking soda and it works great.

[Pia]

Swissbakers makes great ones -- their shop is in Reading but Whole Foods and Wilson Farms both sell their products (you may want to call to see if they're stocking the pretzel rolls specifically, though). Last time I checked, Mariposa Bakery in Central Square in Cambridge made them too.

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Wilson Farm
10 Pleasant St, Lexington, MA 02421

Mariposa Bakery
424 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

[teezeetoo]

go on line and look at sweetmandel.com. They make wonderful german pretzels and rolls and deliver the in the brookline/newton area.

[kkonefal]

I've seen them at Karl's Sausage Kitchen in Saugus (sometimes I think you have to ask for them -- they keep them in the back). I've also had mediocre ones from Whole Foods. Also - there is a German butcher in Walpole (only open certain days of the week) and they have them there sometimes too.

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Karl's Sausage Kitchen
142 Broadway, Saugus, MA 01906