(Please Note, the Giveaway Portion is Now Closed.) Do you love soft pretzels? Then I’ve got a great Friday giveaway, open to all US residents, not just San Diegans!
Recently I was invited to tour the San Diego Pretzel Company. I had no idea that there was a soft pretzel making factory in San Diego.
If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know I love soft pretzels. My frustration over not being able to find the soft pretzels of my childhood led me to start making my own. When I first met the owners, a husband and wife team, with the husband a former executive chef and a Brooklyn native and the wife of German descent, I thought this could be promising. When they started talking about wanting to bring back the quality soft pretzels like the ones that used to be served on carts in NY, I wanted to hug them.
The San Diego company makes the traditional twisted NY pretzels, Philly pretzels, Munich pretzels, multi grain pretzels, pretzel rolls, and jumbo double twisted pretzels. (The top left ones with the fat bottom are the Munich ones, the top right is the multi-grain and the bottom one is the jumbo double twisted.)
In addition to supplying pretzel products to many restaurants and establishments in San Diego (Karl Strauss, Cohn restaurant group, just to name a few), their products can also be found in supermarkets like Whole Foods, Sprouts and Bristol Farms, and they are even sold at Disneyland. You can also buy their soft pretzel products from their online store or on Amazon. You can also order their pretzels for events and they also do some factory tours.
After our tour, my mouth was watering for pretzels, and luckily they sent us with a few to bring home to sample. We dug in pretty much a second after Mr. K turned on the engine of his car.
I loved how enormous the double twisted one was. It was also incredibly thick and fluffy because of the double twist method.
The Munich one was interesting. I’ve never had a German-style soft pretzel, but I was told they like them really dry, so there is no sugar in this dough at all. And you could definitely taste it. It isn’t so much that the dough is dry, but it leaves a dry aftertaste in your mouth. (The idea being that the pretzels are usually eaten with beer so you wash out the dryness with beer.) Not exactly my favorite, but then I’m not used to German-style soft pretzels. I did like the shape though.
We were given samples of the frozen NY style and Philly style which can be found in supermarkets. I was worried that they wouldn’t taste as good as the fresh ones we had, but they did. They were so easy to heat up. Five minutes in the oven and the pretzel skin was crisp and the inside soft. It took us only two days to polish off these pretzel samples and I’m craving more just writing this post.
After having a disappointing soft pretzel experience during my recent trip to NYC, I never would have thought I could find them right here in San Diego, but I’m so happy I did. I really hope this mom and pop factory continue to succeed in sharing quality soft pretzels everywhere. These pretzels definitely brought back happy childhood memories.
Now onto the giveaway. One of my lucky readers will receive one free pretzel product of their choice from San Diego Pretzel Company’s online store. I highly recommend the jumbo double twisted or the traditional twisted. This contest is only open to US residents. I will use random.org to generate the winner. The contest will end on Friday November 1, 2013 at 11:59 PST.
To enter, leave a comment at the end of this post, telling me which pretzel product you are most interested in trying.
For additional entries:
1. Like this post on Facebook. Then leave a separate comment at the bottom of this blog post telling me you’ve done so. Also include your FB handle if it’s not obvious. Make sure it is a separate comment from your initial comment entry, so that it is counted separately.
2. Follow me on Twitter and tweet the following “Win soft pretzel products from @kirbiecravings https://wp.me/p17wwJ-4V4” Then leave a separate comment at the end of this blog post with a link to the tweet. Make sure it is a separate comment from any of your other comment entries so that it is counted separately.
I follow you on twitter as @Bless_Eliz
tweeted
https://twitter.com/Bless_Eliz/status/395780118070575104
Liked on FB as Blessie Nelson
I would love the Mexican Jalapeno!
I follow on Twitter as @whitsweeps.
I liked the Facebook post!
Philly pretzels sound great!
pretzel puffs
The TWISTED TRADITIONAL 8-PACK BAG OF 5 OUNCE SOFT PRETZELS
Facebook Carla Pullum I liked and left a comment! I love pretzels!!
Following on twitter and tweeted @Distracteddebra
Liked on Facebook!
Philly here!
Also liked on FB
The jumbo double twisted ones sound good!
I follow on Twitter and tweeted: https://twitter.com/kawaiidragon88/status/394928739106041856
I liked your FB post.
I’d like to try the jumbo double twisted pretzel!
I liked the post on Facebook as Carolsue Anderson
I follow you on Twitter as @MsCarolsueA
I tweeted also
https://twitter.com/MsCarolsueA/status/394712150628773888
I’d like to try the TWISTED TRADITIONAL SOFT PRETZELS
I tweeted about this giveaway here: https://twitter.com/lololovesscents/status/394682806372032512
I “Liked” your Facebook post!
That jumbo double twisted pretzel seems like it’d be right up my alley. MMMMMM! I had no idea this was practically in our neighborhood in SD!
Liked on FB!
Twisted traditional since I know if I got the jumbo double twisted it would be gone too quickly and I can limit myself for the traditional size.
totally the Jumbo double twisted Pretzel
https://twitter.com/mabelcchan/status/394190399205433344
tweeted!
Liked!
@Meeble Feeble
Yum! I LOVE PRETZELS! So cool to know we have a great soft pretzel company in San Diego. My favorite soft pretzels have always been the ones sold at the German American Societies Oktoberfest in El Cajon — very traditional.
In any case, we’re trying to eat more multigrains around here because of the toddler, so I’d love to try the Golden State Pretzels.
Actually I believe the German Society gets their pretzels from San Diego Pretzel Co
I liked this on facebook too! 😀 (gotta get that pretzel)
The jumbo double twist for sure!!!
also liked on facebook!
https://twitter.com/VinylCroc/status/394159356637224960
I would love the jumbo double twisted pretzel dipped in butter!!
It would be the jumbo double twisted.
NY all the way baby!!
Would love to try the sugary cinnamon
https://twitter.com/Debbie858/status/393891158377504768
liked on Facebook
jumbo double twisted – on your recommendation!
I would love to try the sugary cinnamon pretzel!
Tweeted: https://twitter.com/CannonApril/status/393871974763466752
And already following
Wow…Jumbo double twisted Pretzel. That would make my week. Thanks
@Sandy above: yes, the dryness and saltiness in Bavarian pretzels (we have a lot more salt on it in Germany!) is meant to make you order more beer! 🙂
Shared on Facebook.
https://www.facebook.com/sandy.headtke/posts/675301989161489
I love to try the Jumbo double twisted Pretzel.
I will be asking Sprouts to get the pretzel rolls, I haven’t seen them there
I would like to try the jumbo double twisted one!
Wow! Soft pretzel! I haven’t thought about it for a long time. It was my daughter’s favorite when she was a little girl. I’d like to try the jumbo double twisted pretzel, they look great.
I am totally curious about the Philly pretzel. It’s so hard to find a soft pretzel that’s REALLY like a Philly pretzel. I don’t know if it’s the shape, the water, or something, but even my best soft pretzel recipe can’t make them like they do in Philly.
I’ve never been to Philly so i can’t vouch for authenticity, but it did taste good.
I would like to try the jumbo double twisted.
I Liked the pretzel post on FB (kaoruy)
Yum! I would love to try the jumbo double twisted pretzel
The soft pretzel puffs would be right up my kids’ alley! Thanks for introducing us to this company and for the giveaway.
That Jumbo double twisted one has my name all over it.
I’ve had pretzels in Germany just like the Munich pretzel, and didn’t really think they were that great. Your description explains it. I guess I had been expecting soft pretzels. I just heard about this place, and I’d love to try them out.
Apparently they like that dry aftertaste because it is usually paired with beer. hehe.
i’d love to try the jumbo double twisted!!
I’d love to try the sugary cinnamon pretzels!
The pretzel bun sliders! Love pretzel buns and so sad to have seen them disappear from Trader Joes, so we would immediately jump to these to get our fix!
I saw these sold at Major Market in Escondido back in May; was unable to decide which flavor and each time we went back, I’d read the boxes. Finally got the “Golden State” and those are *really* good. Had never heard of the company before that (and haven’t been to Disney in forever). Nice post!
Ah, the multi-grain! I liked it too though I liked the traditional one best.
And post liked
I am a Philly pretzel person!
Tweeted! https://twitter.com/catsh1/status/393656350829338624
Liked on FB!
The NY style!
the new york one!
Umm and those question marks above were supposed to be a smiley. Weird…
Hmm that is strange, but thanks for letting me know. hehe
I grew up in Munich and I miss Bavarian pretzels like crazy, I wouldn’t mind winning a box. ????