The German Pretzel

You know what I'm talking about.

Those big, soft, chewy works of art, twisted into a rolls of doughy goodness.

Source: 

(I'm hungry.)

The German pretzel (Laugenbrezeln) has quite a long history, dating its prominent origins back to maybe the 12th century (some sources say it originated from an Italian monk in the 7th century). By the 17th century, the German pretzel was seen as a sort of religious food, usually consumed during the Lent/Easter time period. The three holes in the pretzel represented the Trinity (father, son, Holy Spirit), and during matrimony, the pretzel was thought to represent union and eternal love (hence the phrase, "tying the knot!")

The pretzel is one of the staple foods of Germany, and throughout many regions of Southern German (such as Bavaria), it can be eaten for breakfast or snack. During Oktoberfet, the pretzel is usually accompanied by fine German beer and weisswurst (white sausage).

It is traditionally made with flour, butter, yeast, and warm water. To give it the distinct crunch, some pretzels are also dipped in lye.

(I'm getting really, really hungry.)

*skips off to make my own pretzels*

Sources:
http://www.theoktoberfest.com/HTML/pretzel/
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/homemade-soft-pretzels-recipe/index.html
http://www.bavarianpretzelfactory.com/history.html