Hop Down

On April 18th, join the excitement of the 7th annual Hickory Hops Festival in downtown Hickory. Only a 10 minute drive from the inn, this event features microbreweries from across the state including our very own Olde Hickory Brewery. Live music will compliment the party that will begin at 1pm and wrap up at 7pm. For more information, visit their website: http://www.hickoryhops.com/


While doing research on this subject, I ran across a recipe that I'll try. I'll post it here and let you know how it turns out.

Soft Pretzels
4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon white sugar
1 1/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
5 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 cup baking soda
4 cups hot water
1/4 cup kosher salt, for topping

In a small bowl, dissolve yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

In a large bowl, mix together flour, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center; add the oil and yeast mixture. Mix and form into a dough. If the mixture is dry, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of water. Knead the dough until smooth, about 7 to 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl, dissolve baking soda in hot water.

When risen, turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope and twist into a pretzel shape. Once all the dough is all shaped, dip each pretzel into the baking soda solution and place on a greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt.

Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, until browned.