New Year’s good luck pretzel more than a doughy treat

Nikki Jonczak, co-owner of Valdiserri’s Bakery in Belle Vernon, is shown with a New Year’s good luck pretzel made from a sweet dough and covered with icing, nuts and cherries Friday morning.

By JEFF STITT

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As is tradition, I’ll be ringing in the new year with at least a nibble of a sweet and filling Pittsburgh-style “grosse neujahrs-Breze.” If you’re not of German-descent or you don’t speak a lick of German, you might be scratching your head right now, asking “what’s that?” Some in the Mon Valley and across Yinzer Country may be more familiar with the New Year’s Eve dessert if I referred to it as “a New Year’s pretzel,” a “Pittsburgh New Year’s Pretzel” or a “good luck pretzel.”

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