Lets just say this… I grew up in a small town in central Pennsylvania called Hanover. Hanover, PA is named after the city, Hannover, in Germany, except here in the states they dropped the second “n”. Hanover is very well known for one of a few things they do well: pretzels.

Growing up as a kid, my friends worked in pretzel factories, boxing pretzels, rolling pretzels, and all sorts of other jobs to do with pretzels. Pretzel companies are a big part of Hanover and my childhood. Even after graduating high school and moving to Philadelphia ,the Pretzel title followed you everywhere. When I would tell people I’m from Hanover, PA, they would have this lost look in there eyes until they realized that Hanover equaled Snyder’s pretzels, or I’d prompt them, “have you ever heard of Snyder’s Pretzels?” and they would say, “oh yeah! Those are my favorite!”

Well, growing up in Hanover, I didn’t know how blessed I was to be living so close to such amazing and well known pretzels until I left. And I have to be honest; I’m not a huge pretzel fan. I’m more of a Chocolate Chip cookie fan (or monster is more like it.) But there is something comforting about seeing a familiar face when you’re far away from home.

I remember about a year and a half ago when I was in a really, really small gas station in Soldotna Alaska, and on the snack shelf there sat in all its dusty glory a bag of Snyder’s Pretzels all the way from Hanover PA. I was so happy to see it that I had to tell the guy I was with about how amazing it is to see a bag of Snyder’s Pretzels on this tiny gas station’s snack shelf. Did I mention I had only know the guy for about 3 hours? I think my excited tone over a bag of pretzels made him think I was a bit nuts. I mean, I’m close to the top of the world, and there sits a bag of pretzels from my tiny little home town of town Hanover, PA. This guy had no idea that pure gold was sitting only a few feet away.

Well, the other week, when we were shopping at the local “Walmart of Peru” called Plaza Vea, there I spotted on the way top shelf, set apart from all the local normal Peruvian treats, some bags of Snyder’s Pretzels!!!!!!!!!  I’m not even sure if any other pretzel companies can be found anywhere in this city. I just know that I was floored to see a bag of Snyder’s here in Arequipa. I’m in Peru people, and that’s many miles or kilometers from the dinky blue collar town of Hanover, PA. Hanover’s only other claims to fame are the Hanover Shoe company who used to make awesome shoes way back in the day. People would travel pretty far distances to get a pair of these snazzy shoes. I’ve heard personal stories to prove it. The other thing that puts Hanover on the Map is the famous snack food company, Utz, which makes potato chips. They’re good, but they don’t have a reputation like Snyder’s.

This is different, and maybe I’m blowing this way out of proportion. I’m in Arequipa, Peru, South America. Who the heck was responsible at the Snyder Food company for getting these things down here? Whoever it was, they deserve a bonus. Because I, for one, was only too happy to shell out the 12.00 soles or 4.00 USD for a modest bag of salted pretzel sticks.  What can I say but There’s no place like home