Bagels
I don’t remember if I’ve written on this topic before, but recently I recalled how disappointed I was by local breads and bagels when I moved out here. After about six months I gave in and tried bagels again and suddenly they didn’t seem quite so bad. But then I had to make a trip to New York and had a real bagel again and I wondered, “What was I thinking?” Northwest bagels could never compare.
I once met an Israeli man. He was a typical Israeli man for the time; jumpy, nervous, smoked two cigarettes at a time with an extra one going as a back-up in the ash tray.
Anyway, somehow the conversation got to food in Israel. I asked if the bagels were any good over there and he told me they were awful. He went on to explain that bagels are only good when made in New York or Chicago and it was because of the water. No where else on earth are the minerals just right in the water to produce a good bagel. After having had bagels in all parts of this country, I have to agree with him. New York and Chicago have them all beat.
posted by The Guy Who Writes This at 4:00 AM
4 Comments:
Many years back I used to make my own bagels from scratch. It was from a Jewish woman's recipe that had been posted in an issue of "Yankee" magazine. Oh, they were to DIE for!!! But so time-consuming and I was so busy back then...as if I'm not busy now?!? But, like baking a lot of my own bread in my early years, making my own bagels fell by the wayside as well. I have a friend who can neither smell nor taste because of an industrial accident that crushed most of the bones in his face and he said the texture of those bagels was an absolute treat for him...chewy and yet sooooooo tender. Hmmmmm...makes me wonder if I still have that recipe somewhere? Probably not. I don't do any cooking but what is absolutely necessary any more. Thank goodness I have a daughter-in-law who loves to cook and have family over! Holidays are spent at THEIR house and I'm happy to let her have it all!
I would be, too.
the image of the bagel that accompanies this post is exactly why i hate most bagels! :) too much stuff on'em. and who said poppy seeds were a good idea? they get stuck in every tooth, lodged in gums, under your tongue... lord help you if you have a crack in a filling or a deep cavity!
have you ever had a montreal bagel? those are some good, dense, chewy, slightly sweet rounds of goodness right there. and the best part? i can get'em PLAIN!
I haven't heard of the Montreal, but I too like them without goop. I just couldn't find the right photo to match the story.
Are you in Montreal?
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