Warm the milk and pour in medium bowl and sprinkle in the yeast. Let the yeast soften (about 2 minutes)

Stir in sugar and 1 cup of flour with a wooden spoon.

Dice 2 tablespoons butter and soften; stir into mix. Add remaining 1 1/4 cups flour and fine salt to make sticky dough.

Knead dough on lightly floured surface until smooth and slightly tacky. About 5 minutes.

Shape into a ball. Place in lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until double in size (about 1 hour).

Preheat oven to 450 F and grease a large baking sheet.

Punch dough to deflate it then turn out on floured surface. Divide into 6 pieces.

Roll and stretch each piece to about 30 inches, holding the ends and slapping the middle on the counter as you stretch the rope.

Form each rope into a pretzel shape.

Dissolve baking soda in 3 cups of warm water in a shallow baking dish. Dip each pretzel in the solution and arrange on the cookie sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

Bake until golden. About 10 minutes.

Melt remaining butter and brush butter on hot pretzels.

Serve warm.