Dissolve 1 package yeast in 2 tablespoons hot water in large bowl. Pour 1 1/3 cups warm water into bowl and mix. Stir in 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, mix well. Add 4 cups flour all at once to yeast mixture, mix well until mixture is smooth.

Lightly flour counter top. Place dough on counter top and knead down with "heel" of hand until it is smooth and stretchy. Grease 2 cookie sheets heavily and sprinkle with coarse salt.

Pinch off a "golf-ball" size piece of dough. Roll out and form a pretzel shape. Deliver to "chef" to be dunked as follows. Fill saucepan with water. Add 1 tablespoon baking soda for each cup of water. Bring it to a boil, "dunk" pretzels for about 25 seconds. Place pretzels on cookie sheets. Sprinkle with salt. Bake at 475 degrees for 8 minutes.