On Oct. 1, Wendy’s debuted a second sandwich built on a pretzel bun. Pretzel Pub Chicken can be ordered homestyle, spicy or grilled, and the sandwich comes with Muenster, spring mix, tomato, cheddar cheese sauce and honey mustard.
But what really counts is that bun.
Lynch said the fast-food giant was the first of its kind this year to market a pretzel bun, though others have followed suit, including 7-Eleven and Blimpie with deli sandwiches on pretzel buns, Sonic with hot dogs on pretzel buns, and even, of all places, Dunkin’ Donuts with roast beef sandwiches on pretzel buns. Aldi has also launched a pretzel-bread knockoff of microwaveable Hot Pockets.
Local businesses are cashing in on pretzel popularity, too.
Kroger bakery sections have begun selling three varieties of pretzel breads: pretzel sandwich buns, pretzel breadsticks and pretzel dinner rolls.
Aunt Millie’s — a bread company supplying grocery stores in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Kentucky — launched pretzel buns in August.
“We saw it as a significant trend,” Senior Director of Marketing Melissa Dunning said.
Lynch said Wendy’s innovators hatched the pretzel bun idea after spotting pretzel bread appetizers and sandwiches in a slightly different market – bistros and casual sit-down establishments.
Several local bistros and pubs were among those that beat Wendy’s to pretzel rolls.
Angela Eubanks, kitchen manager at Fusion 40.83 in Urbana, said the restaurant has served pretzel buns since it opened two years ago, but sales have increased in the last couple of months. Lately, pretzel buns are outselling regular sandwich buns there, she said.
Joe Lakatos and Jerry Gordon have sold pretzel bun sandwiches at Pour Haus in Centerville since they bought the business 18 months ago, but there, the pretzel bun has more to do with the restaurant’s Bavarian theme than with a pop-up fad.
Lakatos said customers can order lunch or dinner sandwiches on any bread, but probably 90 percent choose pretzel buns.
Doubleday’s and Archer’s Tavern, both in Centerville, are longtime sellers of sandwiches on pretzel buns — Doubleday’s for about six years, and Archer’s since it opened three years ago.
“I’ve heard ‘around the campfire’ that more people at other places are selling them, and I think it has a lot to do with Wendy’s bringing it out,” Doubleday’s kitchen manager John Thomas said.
Meanwhile, Wendy’s will remove the limited-time pretzel bun sandwiches from stores over the next couple of weeks. But given that the Pretzel Bacon Cheeseburger was Wendy’s most successful limited-time sandwich in over a decade, it could reappear on the Wendy’s menu someday.
“I think pretzel buns are more than just a fad because soft pretzels have been around forever,” Lynch said.
Salted pretzel rolls
You don’t have to get your pretzel buns from a restaurant or grocery store; here’s a recipe for making them at home.
1-1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons melted butter
¼ cup baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
Coarse kosher salt, for sprinkling
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with dough hook attachment, add water, yeast and salt. Stir and let rest 5-10 minutes to allow yeast to activate.
Add the flour, salt and melted butter and mix until combined well. Cover with a towel and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Punch down dough and divide into eight equal-sized pieces.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees and place oven rack in middle position. In a large saucepan, bring 2 quarts water to a low boil.
Meanwhile, line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Shape dough pieces into balls.
When water boils, remove pan from heat and slowly add the baking soda. Place pan back on heat and lower to a simmer.
Place 2-3 rolls at a time in the poaching liquid for 30 seconds. Carefully turn the rolls over and poach for another 30 seconds. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rolls.
Using a pastry brush, brush each roll with the beaten egg, coating all sides. Sprinkle rolls with coarse salt. Using a sharp, straight-edged knife, cut a shallow X shape into the top of each roll.
Bake rolls in preheated oven 15 to 20 minutes.
—Adapted from tastykitchen.com
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