A short history of the bagel

http://www.slate.com/id/2204140/pagenum/all

by pg • 18 years ago

20 8 18 years ago

I'm a big fan of the bagel... I suggest cutting into '3 slices' to maximize the experience: http://www.howtodothings.com/food-drink/how-to-maximize-the-...

IsaacSchlueter• 18 years ago

Wow, making me realizing how hungry I am right now.

How long before this becomes the fuel for another "HN has off-topic articles!" rant? ;)

nadim• 18 years ago

Let me make it on topic again: http://friendfeed.s3.amazonaws.com/65ab4fb270a706dd85d0cb64b...

The combination of this food and first read of H&P makes for a good Sunday.

Shamiq• 18 years ago

Hah...

"I realize it's Sunday evening, and news is a little slow..."

robg2• 18 years ago

My two complaints about contemporary bagels:

1) They're not baked long enough. The ultimate bagel is soft on the inside with a firm crisp on the outside - sort of like a French baguette but doughier inside. The only way to correct it is to freeze any bagel you buy (unless you're in NYC), then stick it in the toaster oven prior to eating for ten minutes. That will crisp the outside while keeping the innards soft and lovable.

2) They're too big. The early 20th c. bagels were about half the size - about the size of a hockey puck. The full bagel today is a meal by itself. Then when you add the schmear and lox you're into dinner territory. But eating half a bagel isn't an option...

If you're a bagel connoisseur, this article is also good:

Was Life Better When Bagels Were Smaller? http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E1D7103EF...

gaius• 18 years ago

My problem with bagels is they have an appearance of being basically healthy, like wraps, whereas they've actually as many refined carbs as equivalent-sized donuts! Anyone who is even vaguely health-conscious should be avoiding them like the plague.

robg2• 18 years ago

There's that too but from the size problem. Still your comparison is probably off since a donut is more likely a snack, while a bagel, properly decorated, is a meal. Then again, I grew up eating bagels for breakfast while donuts were a special treat with breakfast.

neilk• 18 years ago

Baker news? ;)

A short history of the bagel

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