OT: Bagels...

[Baron Munchausen]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
Why does anyone like bagels? They're tough, chewy and kinda tasteless.

And I say that 'kinda tasteless' part as someone who likes porridge with only suger added.

It's like someone took plain donuts and stuffed rocks in them.

Bagels are bread in the shape of a donut. So, absent any toppings they taste like plain bread. Yeah, that is kinda boring. That's why there are so many interesting toppings.

Not all bagels are 'plain' though. Try some of the fancy flavors offered by this company:

http://www.oldworldbakery.com/
Apple Cinnamon
Banana
Blueberry
Caraway Rye
Cherry
Chocolate Chip
Combo
Egg
Everything
Garlic
Jalepeno
Multi-Grain
Onion
Pesto
Plain
Pineapple
Poppy
Potato
Pumpernickel
Raisin
Raisin Cinnamon
Sesame
Sourdough
Strawberry
Sun-Dried Tomato
Whole Wheat

[narf poit chez BOOM]

That still leaves the big problem, that being eating them being like chewing rocks.

Subway has a cheese steak option; good, but could use some work.

[dmm]

It is hard to find good bagels. I agree with you that, in most places, most bagels are lousy. (Actually, where I live, ALL baked goods are mostly lousy.)

But a GOOD bagel -- like you get routinely in NY or Philly -- is awesome. The outside is tough, almost but not quite crunchy. The inside is soft and doughy, but not airy. The aroma is amazing.

Properly-made bagels are most definitely NOT "bread shaped like a torus." The recipe is different, and you boil them for a while before baking them.

[geoschmo]

dmm said:
But a GOOD bagel -- like you get routinely in NY or Philly -- is awesome. The outside is tough, almost but not quite crunchy. The inside is soft and doughy, but not airy. The aroma is amazing.

Well GREAT! Now my stomach is rumbling.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Bah. Be happy it is. I'm on day three of an allergy strike and all I've eaten in three days is some stew (Day one), some buns (Day two) and two cans of pineapple (Days two and today).