Popular Pretzel Is Finding Its Place On Tables All Over

Never mind the nacho sauce. Pretzels are coming out of the concession stand and finding favor with chefs and home cooks who appreciate the treat's chewy texture and classic flavor. Whether sprinkled with salt or tricked out with toppings, the versatile soft pretzel — and its cousin, the increasingly popular pretzel roll — are showing up as snacks, in breadbaskets and on sandwiches, as restaurants across the country recognize the appeal of the pretzel.

Every Day with Rachael Ray magazine pegged the pretzel as a top trend for 2011.

"Many movie theaters left the traditional buttered popcorn behind and added tricked-out popcorn to their snack bar menus in 2010, but 2011 will be all about tricked-out pretzels," reports the magazine's website, rachaelraymag.com. "Pretzel-only shops are opening up with one-of-a-kind flavors like Tuscan three-cheese, truffle and more."

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