(From Gabriel Kreuther: The Spirit of Alsace by Gabriel Kreuther with Michael Ruhlman. Copyright © 2021, published by Abrams. Reprinted and lightly edited by permission of Gabriel Kreuther.) 

Alsace is a region that, while physically part of France, is culturally neither France nor Germany but a spiritual mixture of both. Here, as in Germany, we love our pretzels and beer—and horseradish, a flavorful but underused aromatic root. 

Pretzels are simple to make. The amazing transformation that happens when the leavened, shaped dough is dipped into a base solution (using lye or baking soda) is so satisfying, fun, and delicious, it's especially great to do with kids. Although if you’re using food grade lye (easily available online), you’ll need to be careful, as when it combines with water it is as caustic as sulfuric acid. Lye reacts with carbon dioxide and, in the heat of the oven, forms a carbonate, making the food safe to eat. When cooking with children, just use baking soda. I like the taste of lye-dipped pretzels and the deep brown color the lye creates. But baking soda is an acceptable substitute and completely safe. 

While the classic pretzel shape is my favorite, with its twists and the increased surface area that allows for more browning and flavor, you can also make fabulous hamburger buns, pretzel rolls, or a braided pretzel loaf with this dough. 

We eat pretzels with a dipping sauce—horseradish, sour cream, and mustard. Fresh horseradish is best, but some brands of prepared horseradish, such as Atomic and Gold Brand, are acceptable.