slo’s THURSDAY 10/12 poll - Bagels 🥯

[tvguy]

When I worked, my employer brought in bagels and doughnuts every two weeks on pay day, so I would have a bagel every two weeks. Not sure I've had a bagel in the two+ years since I retired. And always with either chive cream cheese or salmon cream cheese on it.

 

[jimmymc]

As a kid, I didn't really like bagels. They were too big and difficult to chew. As an adult, I love them. So many flavors and toppings you can put on them.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Around here in Chicagoland, I really haven't found a good place for bagels -- @slo, if you know of a place, please let me know!

Well, not @slo here, @lovesmurfs, but these sure have a great reputation, and I can attest. Skokie, Lincolnwood and Wheeling.

Wheeling

Both Skokie & Lincolnwood

Skokie

 

[slo]

Well, not @slo here, @lovesmurfs, but these sure have a great reputation, and I can attest. Skokie, Lincolnwood and Wheeling.

Wheeling

Both Skokie & Lincolnwood

Skokie

Thank you for these suggestions, because I had none

 

[Dan Murphy]

Thank you for these suggestions, because I had none

And these would be a pretty long drive from your area, north and northwest suburbs.

 

[fly girl]

Love bagels!

My two favorites are polar opposites: everything and blueberry!
Blueberry would be my morning breakfast bagel lightly toasted with light cream cheese or butter.
Everything is for anytime. Love a sandwich with an everything bagel. My old favorite was Einstein Bagels Tasty Turkey on an everything bagel. I had that at least once a week in college.

 

[amcnj]

I like them, but they have to be “real” bagels, not just rolls shaped in a circle. But I also try not to have them too often, way under the once a month category.

 

[NannyBeBe]

I love bagels and eat them often. However, I must say that the bagels I had in NYC were better than any I have ever had, and very different. Not only did they taste better but they were easier to chew.

 

[Tink-osophy]

At an airport, once, I had a bagel with hummus, cucumber, turkey and cranberry. It was amazing!

 

[nene0182]

I don’t eat them often (maybe once or twice a year) but I love everything bagels with a light spread of cream cheese

 

[AppleDumpling]

It's more of an attitude than a statement regarding quality of the bagel. You can enjoy them, but you don't have to proselytise about them.

No attitude from me, just being honest. Lots of people are very fond of NYC-style bagels and pizza, and miss them if they move away. I’m sure the same can be said for the local cuisine of any given region. It’s only natural that you acquire a preference for the foods you’re most familiar with.

 

[mumto3girls]

Just okay, but admittedly I have never been to NYC and my bagel experience is Panera, Einstein, Bruegers and the like. Edible but too many carbs and I like cream cheese only in things.

I probably eat a few a year.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Well, not @slo here, @lovesmurfs, but these sure have a great reputation, and I can attest. Skokie, Lincolnwood and Wheeling.

Wheeling

Both Skokie & Lincolnwood

Skokie

Thanks! Being in Elgin, I'd really need to plan a bagel trip out -- It's probably worth it!

 

[BrianL]

No attitude from me, just being honest. Lots of people are very fond of NYC-style bagels and pizza, and miss them if they move away. I’m sure the same can be said for the local cuisine of any given region. It’s only natural that you acquire a preference for the foods you’re most familiar with.

There's nothing wrong with having an affinity for the foods you are used to and all, it's more when people consider everything else to be total garbage only eaten by rubes and not worthy of their sophisticated palette. I know plenty of people who wouldn't touch a bagel made here, and if someone was eating one, or mentions one, they will always chime in with how they only eat NYC bagels.... It could be pizza, it could be deli sandwiches - you get it. That's the kind of thing I am talking about.

Here in Memphis we are proud of our barbecue, but I made a stop in Texas recently, and, yeah, I had some TX BBQ and it was good too! It's a different style, but I'm not hating on it!

 

[mjkacmom]

There's nothing wrong with having an affinity for the foods you are used to and all, it's more when people consider everything else to be total garbage only eaten by rubes and not worthy of their sophisticated palette. I know plenty of people who wouldn't touch a bagel made here, and if someone was eating one, or mentions, one, they will always chime in with how they only eat NYC bagels.... It could be pizza, it could be desli sandwiches - you get it. That's the kind of thing I am talking about.

Here in Memphis we are proud of our barbecue, but I made a stop in Texas recently, and, yeah, I had some TX BBQ and it was good too! It's a different style, but I'm not hating on it!

I’d definitely take some Memphis or Texas bbq over nyc bbq any day! Instead I will need to order my Mighty Quinn’s and make due.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Love bagels but I'm diabetitic so rarely have them. Maybe one a year.

 

[bcla]

I remember when I used to be addicted to Noah's Bagels (based in the Bay Area), which some criticize as not being "authentic" since their preparation is steamed (makes it soft) rather than boiled before baking, which makes a harder, chewier crust. One of the things I did was wait until near closing time, when they sold them half price. They eventually

I was staying with relatives in Southern California when I went out to get a dozen at the (then) location in Pasadena. My cousin was there, who had spent time in NYC in school, and she was saying that it wasn't a "real bagel". She got her bachelors degree at UC Berkeley, so she was familiar with Noah's.

They're very different now. The founder sold it and it's changed hands a few times with a lot of locations closing. None are kosher any more, and quite a few have distinctly non-kosher items like bacon or ham.

There are some supposedly really good ones around here, but I'm not sure about spending $3 on a plain bagel. I was in Santa Monica a last December when I thought I'd go and get a real bagel and skip most of the free breakfast at the hostel. Went to Wexler's Deli, which makes its own meats and smokes its own salmon, but when I asked they said they bought their bagels from a supplier.

 

[AppleDumpling]

There's nothing wrong with having an affinity for the foods you are used to and all, it's more when people consider everything else to be total garbage only eaten by rubes and not worthy of their sophisticated palette. I know plenty of people who wouldn't touch a bagel made here, and if someone was eating one, or mentions one, they will always chime in with how they only eat NYC bagels.... It could be pizza, it could be deli sandwiches - you get it. That's the kind of thing I am talking about.

Here in Memphis we are proud of our barbecue, but I made a stop in Texas recently, and, yeah, I ha some TX BBQ and it was good too! It's a different style, but I'm not hating on it!

Oh I get it. I travel quite a bit and always make a point to try the local specialties. There’s really good and unique food all across the country and abroad. One of the best parts of traveling, IMO.

Just to note, and this is not directed at you or anyone in particular, but I get tired of negative stereotypes that imply all New Yorkers are rude and arrogant.

 

[BrianL]

Oh I get it. I travel quite a bit and always make a point to try the local specialties. There’s really good and unique food all across the country and abroad. One of the best parts of traveling, IMO.

Just to note, and this is not directed at you or anyone in particular, but I get tired of negative stereotypes that imply all New Yorkers are rude and arrogant.

Oh, it's not ALL New Yorkers, just the jerks, and they can come from anywhere. Certainly people here get precious about barbecue too. I just don't see the point. Can't I like both NY pizza AND Cichago style?

 

[QueenIsabella]

I just got bagels this morning--my DD20 is home for a few days, and she requested "the good bagels"!

There definitely IS something to the whole NYC bagel thing--and I'm not one to race to defend NYC snobbery. It's something in the mineral make-up of the water--it makes a difference in pizza dough, too. Believe me--I used to live in Saratoga County, NY--a place known for its mineral water (which, if you drink it "straight" tastes awful!)

We had a tough time finding real bagels when we moved to North Carolina, but the "good bagel" place is worth a trip now and again. You're simply not going to get an authentic bagel in a grocery store in the bread aisle. Possibly in the bakery--Price Chopper, based out of Schenectady, NY, made fresh bagels that we loved.

I'll eat almost any type of bagel, but I'm partial to everything. Blueberry is popular with my younger two, while my older son loves salt--he eats them with no topping (and no toasting). Very similar to a fresh pretzel--same baking technique.