I was living with 11 other music students right off of the longest walking street in Germany, in a small town called Heidelberg. We were in Altstadt, or “Old Town,” only a two-minute walk from the historical bridge spanning the Neckar River.

I watched many a sunset from that bridge, adoring the water and the glorious colors it reflected, framed by green hills. We studied music, German history and then traveled to see all that we studied.

There was a problem, though — no kitchen. Just a microwave, toaster, hot pot and refrigerator.

This was not the best season for my cooking passion, but I made do with an empty Nutella jar — you can guess how it got empty — and the microwave. Did you know it is possible to microwave rice and lentils?

Much of the time we had to find food elsewhere, and to our joy and convenience there was a cute little bakery called Kamps just down the cobblestone block.

Kamps is the largest bakery company in Germany, and you will see them nearly as often as you see Starbucks in the U.S.

What I like most about Kamps — or any German bakery — are their pretzels. Well, in Germany, they are called “brezels.”

They come in rolls, sticks and in the traditional brezel shape. They are big and soft, like bread, unlike the cracker-like American pretzels.

My favorite way to eat them is “mit butter,” or “with butter” — and for an extra 50 Euro cents, you can buy them pre-prepared with butter.

Due to the weakness of the U.S. dollar, I usually bought mine plain and brought it back to my room, buttered it myself and enjoyed that delicious, crusty exterior.

When preparing to leave Heidelberg, I thought of all the things I loved about Germany. There are just some things that you cannot find anywhere else.

I knew I would miss the cobblestones, the sunsets on the Old Bridge and the brezels. In fact, before leaving for the airport, I rushed down the street and bought a whole bag of them to bring home fresh to my parents. Only as fresh, of course, as baked goods can be after 30 hours of cross-continental travel. Anything for one last taste of Germany…

As time passed, reverse culture shock is now long gone, and life is good back in smoggy Los Angeles — although, at times I regret trading those cobblestones for palm trees.
I still find myself occasionally longing for one more taste of brezel. So, I tossed my homework aside and started surfing the Internet. I had a Facebook tab up, too, being a seasoned procrastinator, hunting for brezel recipes.

I found one, tried it, and it tasted just like Germany! That is what I will share with you this week. I hope you try it.

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Mix brown sugar, salt, and yeast/water mixture in a large bowl.

3. Stir in the flour. You don’t want your dough to be sticky, so keep adding that flour.

4. Separate dough into chunks. Roll them into long, thin pieces of dough, 2-3 feet long. (They should be somewhere between the width of a pencil and a cigar.)

5. Once your have your dough all rolled out, it is time to twist them into the standard brezel shape. Make them into a “U,” then cross the ends about 2/3 of the way down the U and make one twist.

6. Next, flip the ends up toward the curve of the U, and attach the ends to the curve. This should put your twist inside of the brezel.

7. Butter a cookie sheet, put the brezel on it and wait 30 minutes to let it rise in the oven.

8. Add baking soda to the boiling water, and in another bowl, whisk the egg and water.

9. Brush the baking soda solution over the brezel, and then brush the egg solution on top. Sprinkle coarse salt on top, to taste.

10. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, and enjoy.

I think the best way to enjoy them is to cut them in half and slather butter all over both sides.

Forget everything I said two weeks ago about being healthy.