There's a big difference in quality of bagels especially in the US. In trying
them
across the country, most of them are similar to packaged bagels such as Lenders.
Chewy & bland. None of them approach the bagels in NY and a few places in LI - a
couple written up by the NY Times for some odd reason such as Stuff N' Bagels, &
Bagel Boss. And it seems if you use the same technique elsewhere, they just
don't
compare. Some have said its the water (Same phenomenon as NY pizza outside of
NY -
its as horribly lousy as Dominoes). If they're not hand tossed, they don't even
count. (most are made by a bagel machine, even if "boiled" every day.)
The oddest I've had were in Montreal in the Orthodox Jewish section. Two places
were supposed to have "the best bagels in canada". There were only a couple of
versions (NY places have about 20 varieties (Poppy, Sesame, Pumpernickel, Onion,
Egg/Onion, etc)
and they tasted exactly like the hot pretzels you get from a vendor. NOTHING
like
a bagel.
So, like someone here said, most are not that good, but in a good NY place, they
are amazing and uncomparable.
Larry
Brian Swale wrote:
> Hi folks
>
> During the last couple of years, a new phenomenon has hit the New Zealand
> market-place.
>
> Bagels.
>
> I've seen street-side signs saying "Bagels freshly boiled today" and others.
>
> So this week I thought I'd try a packet of them. And I am totally baffled
> about their apparent popularity elsewhere in the world.
>
> I wonder what people do to make them edible.
>
> To me they are a moderately boring version of the old doughnut (also totally
> boring) and rather tough and excessively chewy as well. ( OK, my teeth are
> not up to hard work like they used to be).
>
> What do people ( 'murricans in particular ;-> ) do to them prior to inserting
> them in their mouths? What is the attraction?
>
> A curious and baffled mind would like to know.
>
> Brian (feeling rather curmudgeonly about bagels - and BTW, where's our
> resident curmudgeon these days?)
>
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