pretzels

Hard or Soft ? K & R Pretzel Bakery asks… + win $20 worth of Pretzels

January 20, 2016 By Dayton937 45 Comments

Second Generation owners of K & R Pretzel Bakery, sister and brother team of Pattie & James Glaze are now serving Hard Pretzels too !

For the first time in 10 years, the K & R Pretzel Bakery is offering Hard Pretzels, made on site. Yes, it is true, you can have them hard or soft now.

We are also giving away $20 worth of product from this bakery, just comment below for a chance to win.

Have you been to this bakery? It is in a neighborhood, near the corner of Patterson and Woodman Dr. It is one of the most interesting Food Adventure spots we have ever encountered. And we discovered, there is a lot to love about this place.

K & R reminds many Daytonians of their childhood elementary school days, and 10 cent pretzel Tuesdays. These exact pretzels were the ones we ate as kids. We are very happy to have found the place where they make these soft bites of heaven.

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Tucked into a neighborhood at 1700 Flesher Avenue in Kettering, is a humble building with a great products and a great prices. They are open Tues – Fri 10am – 4pm, and Sat 11am-4pm.

— K & R Pretzel Bakery is a family owned business and the entire operation is based on a huge soft pretzel making machine, and a hard pretzel stone oven.

The Hard Pretzels now being served at K & R Pretzel Bakery on Flescher Ave, near the Woodman and Patterson intersection

— Started in 1967 by Karen & Ralph Glaze, hence the K & R name, Ralph learned pretzel making from a German pretzel maker. In their heydey, they manufactured 7,000 pretzels a day.

— Today the bakery is run by the next generation, siblings Pattie and James Glaze. The friendly duo have carried on the tradition of their parents. If you have not been here, you are missing out on a piece of Dayton nostalgia.

— The machine which cooks the tremendous soft pretzels on a conveyor belt method. Simple huh? Make good pretzels, and they will come. They have perfected the treat, and K & R’s Soft Pretzels, are some of the best we have ever eaten. (Although Chef House is a die hard fan of Smales Pretzel Bakery)

GET THEM HARD- Here’s how they get them hard at K &R Pretzel Bakery:

— The old brick oven is heated up, and the soft pretzels and dried out until hard. The oven is about as big as a closet, and looks very old fashioned. (Did you know hard pretzels were discovered by accident when a baker fell asleep and cooked the pretzels too long?)

They have fired up the old brick oven and started making Hard Pretzels again after over a decade !

— The hard pretzels are packaged into bags of 20 each, and sold for $4.00

— WARNING! When we say “hard,” these babies are hard! Great for dipping in all kinds of dips, cheese, mustard, or even beer!

GET THEM SOFT- Here is the process K & R uses to make some of the world’s most delicious soft pretzels:

— First, they brought a tray of already twisted pretzels out and laid them on the metal conveyor belt at the front of the machine.

— The pretzels get a water bath then they are hand salted before they enter the machine’s oven.

— The pretzels then make their way through oven part of the machine and come out piping hot at the end. In fact, they are so hot you can barely hold on to them.

The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and you can choose with salt, without salt or light salt.

The Big Ragu will go on record as saying “K & R has the best Soft Pretzels in the world.”

Watching this machine work is a mini-event in itself. It is a great place to bring kids, as it has a slight, old Willy Wonka feel to it, and it is a memorable place with lots of personality.

Our important tip on the soft pretzels: The fresher these pretzels are, the better they taste. It is better to eat them now than later. They even sell various packaged sauces for dipping your pretzel, but we like them plain or with mustard.

Oh but wait, there’s more …. K & R Pretzel Bakery also has one of the most extensive offerings of “old time” candies we have seen recently. Hungry Jax, The Big Ragu and Chef House share some of their favorites below.

Win $20 worth of pretzels by commenting below, we will pick a winner at random next week.

OTHER MUST EATS:

— CANDY CIGARETTES: Where else on earth can you corrupt your nieces or nephews with some candy cigarettes for only 25 cents a pack? At that price, the candy cigarettes are a steal.

Who remembers Candy Buttons on paper ?

— CANDY BUTTONS: As a kid, do you remember candy buttons on a piece of paper? They have the exact same candies as K & R Pretzel Bakery.

— SWEDISH FISH: Chewy and flavorful, just like you remember them. They might pull out a filling or a loose tooth, but the taste is worth it.

— BUBBLE GUM CIGARS: Green, yellow, pink and other colors, the gum cigars were always favorite. Your jaws will be sore after taking this trip down memory lane.

— CHOCOLATE COVERED PRETZELS: White or milk chocolate covered pretzels. You can’t go wrong here with this treat. Best served around the holidays, or tucked into a bag somewhere so you can indulge yourself.

Honorable Mention: K & R Pretzel Bakery has popcorn for sale too. The popcorn, popped on site are in little or large bags.

Hard to find, Nostalgic Candy like “Sugar Babies”

They even have a cooler with cold soft drinks.

The bakery is old and unique. It is different and some may say odd, but we love this place. They maintain their roots and the pretzels have the same great taste with a recipe that is unchanged for decades. Every time we are in the area, we try and stop by for a pretzel or three.

Now, how do like them Hard or Soft? Get down there and find out. Order your pretzels today!

Please browse even more photos of the bakery below.

WANT A CHANCE at $20 WORTH OF PRODUCTS at K & R PRETZEL BAKERY?

JUST COMMENT BELOW AND ONE WINNER WILL BE CHOSEN AT RANDOM NEXT WEEK.

Like this article? Food Adventures writes feature articles, every week, right here on DaytonMostMetro.com , highlighting local eateries, festivals, food stops and more. Join the more than 5,000 fans following us on Facebook by clicking HERE.

Soft Pretzels

Bags of Hard Pretzels for Sale

Bubble Gum Cigars

The Big Ragu getting some pretzel goodness

Pattie takes fresh pretzels from the machine and bags them up

The machine that makes the pretzels

Mustard with that?

Bakery at 1700 Flescher Ave

Candy cigarettes for 25cents

Incredble

Satellite Wafers

Popped on site

Chocolate covered

Size comparison

Old oven with Hard Pretzel Racks

Signage

Swedish fish

Soft or Hard? SOFT on this one

Hand thrown salt

Up close

Dogs and Burgs

Kookabura lives in the old gum tree

Slices

Soft Pretzels since1967

Pretzel Bath

Food Adventures Visits Mikesells Potato Chip Plant + CONTEST*

December 6, 2012 By Dayton937 5 Comments

Who wants a case of your favorite hometown potato chip, Mikesells ? Then check out this story and comment below on why you love Mikesells Potato Chips! One lucky fan will be chosen at random, GOOD LUCK !

Dayton’s Mikesells Potato Chips are a true local original. Started in 1910 by DW Mikesell who delivered his potato chips by bike. The Wright Brothers bicycle shop even repaired his bike so he could stay in business. Over 100 years later, Mikesells has been the longest continually operating Potato Chip company in the United States. Mikesells is cemented deep in family owned tradition. Four generations of the Mikesell family have worked for the organization. They have various old photos and antiques in the board room as a constant reminder of where they came from and the hard work it took to get there. Now, in 2012 they will sell over 12 million bags of potato chips in the United States. Chip lovers eat their products in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Illinois and more. The “Good n Hot” flavored chips have a cult following in the Miami Valley, but the number one seller remains regular Groovy chips. You may also know they produce pretzels, pork rinds, corn chips, dips and the ever original puffcorn delights. Over 72 products in various sizes and flavors make up the Mikesell’s family of snack foods.

Mikesells is always evolving and this year is no exception. They have recently implemented a new packaging look and a new logo. Be on the lookout for these bags, many which are already in area stores. The look of the brand has changed but the beloved flavors have not been touched. Customers can expect the same taste they know and love.

However, Mikesells released two new flavors in June 2012:

Sweet Chili and Sour Cream: It has a kick of spice, a swirl of sweetness and a touch of sour cream all nestled in a Groovy-style chip.

Tuscan Spice: A unique flavor with a splash of olive oil, a burst of sun-dried tomato and a hint of rosemary and herbs with 30% less fat than regular chips.

Being lifelong residents of the Miami Valley, The Food Adventure Crew have eaten a few Mikesells Potato Chips in our time. We love them. So, when invited for an exclusive tour the potato chip facility with DW Mikesell’s great grandson, Luke Mapp, we jumped at the chance. What followed was a once in a lifetime Food Adventure to see how a Dayton icon gets its product to the masses.

We toured practically every inch of the state-of-the-art facility on Leo Street in Dayton. We also harassed more than 130 employees. We experienced a truly customized and incredible operation. The process starts with, of course, potatoes. An 18 wheeler semi-truck literally pulls into the plant and tilts the load onto a conveyor belt and the process begins. Each year, 20 million pounds of potatoes are processed through these production lines.

The potatoes are washed and sliced, and then are either cooked in small batches for the “kettle cooked” brands, or in larger quantities for their “regular” chips. The automated process is supervised and manipulated by workers who ensure the great product that Daytonians love. The slicer is an amazing piece of machinery that looks like a huge garbage disposal. It is able to slice 400 pounds of chips in just three minutes.

The chips are then sent through another wash and lead into the deep fryers. Custom machinery tosses the chips in hot oil so they wont stick together. The deep fryers are gigantic and as big as a small house. The chips are then led by conveyor belt through various canals and where they are salted if needed, flavored if it is a seasoned chip. The product is then weighed sorted into various packages. The sight is indescribable and Luke Mapp explained the process every step of the way. After the products are bagged, they are inspected and placed in cases. There is even a quality control lab where the chemical disposition of the chips are analyzed to ensure consistency. One of the highlights was when we sampled some fresh reduced fat potato chips right off the assembly line. It was the best potato chip we had ever eaten.

Talk about Green? Mikesell’s were Green before Green was cool. They recycle almost everything and have various steps in their production that re-use boxes and transporting materials. Truly an environmentally conscious company. They recycle 130,000 shipping boxes annually. They also donate 208,000 pounds of potato by-product each year to local farmers for animal feed. Mikesells also recovers 52,000 pounds of starch annually that is sold to paper mills.

During the tour, The Food Adventures Crew felt proud to be Daytonians and were blown away by the quality product and welcoming atmosphere. The facility and the process were simply incredible. They produce 4,000 pounds of potato chips in one hour and typically 6,500 cases of potato chips are produced in an 8 hour shift. We are told it takes about 10 minutes to create the average Mikesell’s potato chip from start to finish. So much perfection in so little time. Also, to guarantee freshness, Mikesell’s strives to distribute its products to local retailers in 24 hours or less.

If you have not tried the new flavors of Tuscan Spice and Sweet Chili & Sour Cream, you are missing some fantastic snacks. Make sure you get your hands on some! Make sure you check out the gallery below for an exclusive behind the scenes look at Mikesells.

Also, fellow Daytonians, next time you celebrate with family or friends, grab some Mikesells Potato Chips to make the party right. Buy local for freshness, and that unbeatable taste that has been a Dayton tradition for generations.

Special thank you to Director of Marketing Luke, Amy, and Dan for setting up the tour and the coolest Food Adventure we have ever had. We are grateful!

Want to be grateful too? Register below and get a chance to win a case of MIKESELLS POTATO CHIPS – winner will be chosen at random![form 55 “DMM Contest Entry – Generic”]

Visit Food Adventures on FACEBOOK and “like” us by clicking HERE !

CONTEST CLOSED

Congratulations to our winner: Alma Sove!

The Big Ragu & Crew Get Twisted at K & R Pretzel Bakery

January 14, 2012 By Dayton937 Leave a Comment

Kettering’s Little Known Secret

If you did not know where to look, you would never find K & R Pretzel Bakery. Someone must be finding Daytonians smile. Tucked into a neighborhood on Flesher this place, because since 1967, the Pretzel Bakery has been making Avenue in Kettering, it is one of the most interesting Food Adventures we have ever done. What’s not to love about this place? It is a humble building with a great product and a great price. The operation is based on a huge soft pretzel making machine which cooks the tremendous snacks on a conveyor belt. Simple huh? Make good pretzels, and they will come. The family owned business has perfected the treat, and K & R’s Soft Pretzels, are the best we have ever eaten. This place reminds The Big Ragu of his childhood elementary school days, and 10 cent pretzel Tuesdays. These exact pretzels were the ones we ate as kids, and we are very happy to have found the place where they make these soft bites of heaven. Those were old school Food Adventures.

While we were there, two workers were manning the pretzel machine, and we saw how the process works.

Pretzel Perfection

First, they brought a tray of already twisted pretzels out and laid them on the metal conveyor belt at the front of the machine. The pretzels first get a water bath then they are hand salted before they enter the machine’s oven. The pretzels then make their way through the machine until they come out piping hot at the end. In fact, they are so hot you can barely hold on to them. The whole process takes about 10 minutes, and you can choose with salt, without salt or light salt. Watching this is a mini-event in itself. It is a great place to bring kids, as it has a slight Willy Wonka feel to it, and it is a memorable place with lots of personality. Our tip is that the fresher these pretzels are, the better they taste. It is better to eat them now than later. They even sell various packaged sauces for dipping your pretzel, but we like them au naturale or with mustard.

Oh but wait, there’s more …. K & R Pretzel Bakery also has one of the most extensive offerings of “old time” candies we have seen recently. We saw Candy Cigarettes for the first time in years. We also saw Candy buttons, Swedish fish, and various novelty candies we remembered as kids. K & R Pretzel bakery has big bags of popcorn for sale too. They even have a cooler with cold soft drinks and chocolate covered small pretzels. The place is unique, different and some may say odd, but we love this place. They maintain their roots and the pretzels have the same great taste with a recipe that is unchanged for decades. Every time we are in the area, we try and stop by for a pretzel or three. At the great price of 70 cents a pretzel, who can resist? Please note, their hours of operation are 11-4pm Weekdays and Saturday.

Try this place, or you will feel a little “salty.” If you don’t try it, we will, and you won’t have to “twist” our arms.

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Please comment on the article below and tell us about your experiences with K & R Pretzel Bakery.

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