Sponging refers to the process where the dough mixture rises and overflows its containers. A doughbreak is a manual device for kneading pretzel dough into a velvety, smooth texture. Back in the days of Julius Sturgis, twisters, or pretzel makers, earned two cents for each 100 pretzels twisted. They worked six days, fourteen hours a day. A modern-day peel can be found at your favorite pizza restaurant.
European culture makes the mid-Atlantic states the nation's Pretzel Belt.
Per-capita pretzel consumption in these states is 4 pounds a year, twice the U.S. average.