Fast forward to the present. Always looking for something that isn't so filling that it ruins dinner, but enough to bridge the gap from morning to night - I headed over to Sigmund's.
Lina Kulchinsky's small pretzel shop is a light and airy space with folding windows. Sitting on the east side of the street, the afternoon sun floods the entire shop. Inside there is no shortage of handmade pretzels. From breakfast type things sprinkled on top (cinnamon and raisin) to the afternoon snack-like truffle and cheddar, Sigmund's offers up a good variety.
Looking for something for lunch? Not a problem. Kulchinsky also offers up turkey, ham, smoked salmon, or caprese on a pretzel roll to knock down your lunch time hunger. I actually went with the Shaller and Weber hotdog topped with spiced kraut. Since I was on vacation and not on my lunch break, I was able to wash it down with a Spaten.
I thought the place was pretty cool. There were, unfortunately, out of the traditional German pretzels that have are really fat and bready at the bottom and thin and crunchy at the top. Overall, I thought you paid for what you got. Sometimes I think the prices of these little shops can be completely out of line simply because they don't move enough product and need to make money. I think it's certainly unique to what NYC, which in itself is pretty hard to do. Sigmund is worth going out of your way to visit.
Sigmund Pretzel Shop
29 Avenue
New York, NY 10009
(646) 410-0333
Since I love trying to make the very things that I enjoy eating, here is a link to one of Lina's recipes on the Martha Stewart website. It's obviously not the traditional hardcore method using lye, but I'd be interested in trying this one out.
If you have a chance to visit Columbus we have a great pretzel vendor in the North Market. http://www.brezelpower.com/ They make 20 varieties of soft pretzels (sweet and savory) including baklava pretzels, everything pretzels and cheddar jalapeno.
ReplyDeleteThey also make pretzel buns and pizza bases.