Breze
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Brezen or Brezeln (singular brezel or breze) are a common baked food in Germany, especially the southern part. It is related to the American pretzel, with which it shares its knot shape and the salty taste. However unlike the hard and small pretzel, a breze is about 15cm wide, with a soft inside and a crunchy outside. The characteristic colour and taste is due to the dough being dipped into lye and coarse salt before being baked.
Also available, especially at festivities like the Oktoberfest is the "Riesenbreze" (giant pretzel), roughly 30 by 25 cm, usually consumed with Hendl or Beer. Brezen are also eaten for breakfast and as a snack.
The word breze is ultimately derived from the Latin brachiatus, having branches like arms, from brachium, meaning arm.