Chinese Pretzels

 I stand in my grandparents kitchen with my Popo, Mom, and Sister. The ceiling is lower in the kitchen than the living room, it makes the newly installed recessed lighting shine bright in the outdated kitchen. Pots and pans hang from metal rods along the ceiling, making anyone over 5 '1 have to slightly duck when near the kitchen island that surrounds the stove. My small 5 ‘0 grandmother glides through the landscape easily, never missing a beat as she grabs ingredients and tools from each corresponding drawer or cabinet. In the sunken-in living room is where my Great Popo sits on the big, once puffy, but now dull couch, watching her favorite programs. My sister and I read the recipe card our mom brought from a small red box with what I assume is a grease stain in the corner. “Chinese Pretzels” the title reads, this is one of our favorite snacks to make during Christmas time. I’m not sure why we favor it during this time of year and barely make it any other time but the smell always means Christmas to me. My sister and I like to play with the pretzel irons while my popo mixes the ingredients together and my mom keeps a watchful eye on the hot oil. Once the irons are dipped in the batter and then into the oil, the sound of the boiling bubles fill the room. The pretzels are finally ready, my sister and I can hardly wait for them to cool, the first bite almost always has an extra tinge of heat, but it’s more than worth it.