A wrapup of local favorites week
Thanks to all who've stuck with me during my attempt at "Joan's Local Favorites Week."
Today, to wrap up the week, I thought I'd hit a topic of reader request - soft pretzels!
Phil says there's nothing like a Smittie's soft pretzel. (He's also a fan of Mack's chocolate ice cream, which I can't fault him for.)
Now, for those of you who are true Yorkers, you know a Smittie's soft pretzel means this:
But, guess what? That might be changing soon. Why, you ask?
Intrepid photographer Jo (who also made mention that I'd forgotten Handel's ice cream down in York Township) took the above photo of the old "pretzel shack" on Route 74 north of Dover.
But she also got this photo. A sign of change to come?
As long as they still make the best pretzels EVER, I won't mind if the shack gets a facelift. But, if you're looking for some pretty strong pretzel competition, try Epex pretzels, up on Route 30 in the Maple Village shopping center. Epex was a family-feud-split off of Smittie's back in about 2002, and while I'm not sure if the shop is still in the hands of a Smith family member, I know that their pretzels and pretzel sandwiches are pretty awesome. (Had a pretzel dog for lunch yesterday, matter of fact! That might be also win the "local favorites" award for best York County hot dog.)
Jo Ott · July 19, 2008 11:37 PM
The pretzel feud was going on just around the time I moved back to York Co. after a 50+ year absence. At the time I didn't care who made them or what name they called themselves, I just wanted some. And one day, as I was driving around not having a clue where I was, there was that pretzel shack. Right away I knew I was somewhere around Dover because I remembered hearing about the shack.
My fondest early memory of those pretzels was when attending Edgar Fahs Smith many years ago. There would be a Smitties pretzel cart out in front of the school and if the pretzel you bought had a red dot in it you got one for free--and I did. Then, they cost a nickel. Now, at Eastern Market, they are a dollar. But I had already quit buying them for health reasons before the price increased.
Phil · July 22, 2008 7:45 AM
wow. i get mentioned in Joan's blog. Cool. I don't know how I feel about the shack upgrade. I think pulling up to the shack and buying pretzels from a place you should never really buy anything that goes into your body was a rite of passage. It makes the pretzels taste better, because in a small way, you are cheating death.
jeramiah rosengrant · August 7, 2008 9:45 PM
i love the new stand!
Jack · August 11, 2008 2:46 PM
Grand Opening this Saturday (mmmm, pretzels!)