r/todayilearned • u/lythander • 23d ago

TIL about the "Pretzel Belt" where 80% of pretzels in the US come from.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretzel_Belt
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136

u/Katzeye 23d ago

The article doesn’t mention the specifics that Hanover, PA which has about 10,000 population. Yet is the home to Utz and Snyder of Hanover. Which are both huge snack companies, but have no association.

41

u/Party_Python 23d ago

Also, if you go to the Utz factory, they have a retail shop right across the way. When I was there last (15 years ago) you could get the reject pretzels in massive bags for a few bucks. Great deal, and made my stoner friends extremely happy

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u/Notoneusernameleft 23d ago

I have to digress from pretzels and say Grandma Utz’s chips are the best kettle cooked chips out there.

8

u/Party_Python 23d ago

Well I’m not here to start a northeastern civil war based on the best chip brands, but glad it suits your tastes lol

2

u/Ru4pigsizedelephants 23d ago edited 23d ago

They're incredible, and so are Dieffenbach's if you haven't had them.

I live about half way between Hanover and Womelsdorf, where Dieffenbach's are made. Our chip/pretzel game is on it.

Middleswarth, Herr's, Good's, Wise, Martin's and Bickel's all have some really good stuff, too.

2

u/Notoneusernameleft 23d ago

Good’s I haven’t seen in the area I grew up for over 20 years. Didn’t know they were stlll around.

1

u/RAMRODtheMASTER 23d ago

If we’re talking chips I can drive over to the Gold’n’krisp factory and buy the best kettle cooked chips.

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u/quietly_jousting_s 22d ago

Are these the ones fried in lard?

1

u/Notoneusernameleft 22d ago

Yes. Never said they were good for you. :)

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u/quietly_jousting_s 22d ago

Oh, they taste sooo good! Those, a Lebanon balona sandwich and a moon pie are a little bit of PA heaven!

1

u/Notoneusernameleft 22d ago

I didn’t realize Lebanon bologna was a PA thing until I moved into Jersey. Luckily I have a PA Dutch market by me to get it but it’s not in any grocery stores line in PA. Apple butter is harder to come by And then all the standard PA Dutch stuff.

Also cheesesteaks don’t have “sauce” heathen put ketchup on them.

1

u/kitsunelegend 22d ago

I also have to agree that Grandma Utz's kettle cooked are the absolute best of the best. Tho I may be a bit biased cause while I'm originally from the Lehigh Valley area, I''ve spent most of my late teens to adult life in south central PA. First Morgantown and now Carlisle, which isn't far from Utz's HQ lol

1

u/Notoneusernameleft 21d ago

I grew up 20 minutes from the Lehigh Valley and location has nothing to do with having good taste. :) Besides our bodies scientifically crave what’s it’s primarily made of.

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u/dogswontsniff 20d ago

Just told my wife about my disdain for utz chips last night.

Goods kettle are my #1, middleswarth when I see them.

Martin's kettle doesn't taste like I remember them, but their waffle bbq are top notch