When we heard that Dunkin' Donuts had changed their bagel formula and rebranded the product as "artisanal," we were keen to try them and see if maybe, just maybe, they'd be a cut above the bagels they used to bake up, and better than chain bagel competitors. More
Mustard Seed Cafe, with prime corner real estate in Los Angeles' busy Los Feliz neighborhood, is that prototypical go-to spot. It's got a solid menu of slightly elevated diner eats, a smattering of outdoor tables, and good speedy take-out for that lunchtime emergency. The food may not be revelatory, but it's reliable, comforting, and easy—part of my regular rotation. Perhaps best of all, this chicken salad sandwich is served on what for L.A. is not a bad onion bagel. More
Scratch bagels are chewy, with an airy crumb, dark brown, crackly crust, and distinctly ripe and tangy flavor from the sourdough starter that bakery co-owner Allison Reid uses to make them. More
I don't use the word magical lightly, but there really is something wondrous about making bagels at home. Maybe it's the shape. I think most everyone understands a loaf of bread, but the round shape with a hole ... well, it seems like a whole lot more work than simply plopping some dough in a loaf pan. But it's not. Really. Try making just one batch of these, and I'm sure you'll have the process down pat. Put on your sorcerer's robe and follow along! More
Despite the ubiquity of bagels in delis and supermarket freezer sections across the country, there aren't that many "second life bagel" recipes. Challah is often used for French Toast and bread pudding—bagels, not so much. Yet so many places are littered with spare bagels, since the temptation is always to buy a dozen, even if only six people work at the office and two of them are on Atkins. So what about using a bagel to make French toast? I can hear Linda Richmond in my head now..."This French toast is neither French nor toasted! Discuss!" More
What makes the bagel so special? What makes you want to schmear it with cream cheese and smoked salmon instead of slices of whole wheat bread instead? The bagel comes in all shapes and sizes, with sesame sprinkles, garlic, everything bagels; health conscious consumers can now eat flat bagels and whole-wheat bagels and bagel chips instead. But how much do you really know about the bagel? Take the quiz! » More
Who'd ever guess that really great bagels existed in Maine, not to mention from a dude who first learned bagel-making in Montana? Josh Potocki, now 33, first opened 158 Pickett Street Cafe (yup, that's the address too) in South Portland about ten years ago. "There was nothing here for bagels. Well, Mister Bagel, but those suck." More
Canada already celebrated Thanksgiving back in October, but one chef, Frédéric Morin of Joe Beef in Montreal skipped the bread crumbs to make his own special spin on stuffing. He combined three of the city's iconic foods: bagels, smoked meat (and pickles) from Schwartz's Deli, and maple syrup. For the turkey, he spiced it up with some Montreal steak seasoning and drizzled Coca-Cola on top—the latter isn't particularly Canadian but it makes for a nice sweet glaze. "Seasoning the other side [of the turkey] is like wearing clean underwear. Nobody sees them but it's just for your sake." I got to try Morin's well-seasoned bird and stuffing when traveling through Montreal recently, and have to say, both were darn... More
"The two bageleries are only a few blocks apart so picking one doesn't usually involve convenience—it's about loyalties." [Photographs: Erin Zimmer] Montrealers have a lot of pride in the their bagels. Plus in a French accent, the word just sounds better: bay-gal. Depending on who you ask, "the best" are either from Fairmount or St-Viateur, both of which sell them fresh 24 hours a day. Before touching on the rivalry, let's define the Montreal bagel. What's All the Fuss? Compared to the New York-style bagel—a bulbous bread monster—these are smaller, less chewy, and sweeter, thanks to some honey or malt syrup. The bagels are hand-rolled then bathe in sweetened boiling water, and finally baked in a big wood-fired oven. Because... More
[Photograph: Robyn Lee] One guy has decided to write 365 poems about onion bagels in 365 days. Here's one example called "the day the vampires finally got me." couldn't find my silver necklace (the one with garlic bagels on it) so i wore the gold one with onion bagels instead Hopefully he's also considering another site devoted to rhymes about chewing mint gum. [via The Presurfer] Related A Poem: Fast Food Smell Spoof of 'The Raven,' About a Jug of Milk Haiku Lunchbox... More
