Cream cheese

So, I basically go to Bagelsmith (north 7th and bedford) every effing morning these days. Bagelsmith has great bagels, a friendly staff, and is right by the train - so it is a pretty logical thing to do i think. They also have some interesting cream cheese options that you just don't see everyday (today they were advertising a new "chocolate chip CC", which honestly sounds disgusting to me but I support innovation). For quite some time, my staple has been an everything bagel, toasted, with jalapeno cheddar cream cheese. The JCCC is phenomenal, and often featured at bagel brunch. But just when the bagelsmiths had started remembering me and my order, something enticing caught my eye. That's right: bacon scallion cream cheese. This is a really brilliant idea for a combo, and the ratio of bacon to scallion to cream cheese is just right. It almost makes going to work in the morning worthwhile!

Also, it is currently 9pm on a friday night. Will someone please hang out with me?

Thank GOD for six-inch bagels.

Portion size comparison...what the hell would you do with a three-inch bagel?

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/user-post-portion-explosion-456931/

The best things start with a B

Bagel Update

I think the one thing we've been good about tracking here is the quality of bagels. If I were some sort of a tech whiz I'd whip up a googlemap tracking bagel places and frequency of good/bad bagels from them. I'm not, though, so I'll just lechy'all know that Z went to Russ and Daughters and came back with some excellent bagels and some even better cream cheese. CHECK IT OUT GUYS!

Another Bit About Bagels

Once upon a time, there was an SPF post about bagels. At that time, I had no input to share because I rarely allowed myself to enjoy the delicious, carby goodness of a truly delicious bagel. Unfortunately (or fortunately), I recently fell off that wagon and am now prepared to offer my own bagel assessment.

Beginning in February, I signed on to volunteer for a 14-week program with a non-profit organization. Every Saturday I troop groggily to Midtown and volunteer myself to pieces for two hours, and even though I have a few cups of coffee in me by the time I arrive it somehow seems like insufficient nourishment.

Thankfully, the program's organizers recognized this and took the proper steps to keep me coming back. Every week, I am greeted upon my arrival by bags and bags of various types of bagel. These heavenly treasures come from Ess-a-Bagel over at 831 Third Avenue (between 50th and 51st). Although I was originally more enchanted with the intense coffee maker in the building, I've come to recognize that the value of a Saturday morning bagel cannot be surpassed.

It's important to mention that these are the best bagels I have ever had in my LIFE. I noticed when I perused the previous SPF bagel post that Z left a comment about Ess-a-Bagel, which I must not have noticed at the time. This is truly tragic. The last few months of my life seem wasted when I think about the fact that I could have been eating Ess-a-Bagels for SO MUCH LONGER. They are thick, doughy and so amazing that I can literally feel them doing bad, bad things to my body. It's a good thing they also have the magical capability to make me not care about anything else in the world except eating them.

We all know that my food options as a child weren't very creative, so it makes sense that I ate a bagel with cheese every day when I returned home from school. Trust me, I have eaten my fair share of bagels in my life. I started eating them less frequently in the interest of my health, but now I can't imagine Saturday mornings without them. Thank you, Ess-a-Bagel, for restoring my relationship with the bagel. I'll never go hungry again.

Bagel Revision

As I've mentioned before I've been doing a lot of work at the Bobst library near Washington Square lately. This has given me the opportunity to re-evaluate my assessment of Murry's bagels. After 4 trips over the past week I have to downgrade them from top-notch to 'will do in a pinch'. Although, as CF points out, they do top both sides of their everything bagels, the odds of getting a warm bagel are slim--even during the overcrowded lunch time. This is especially problematic because they won't toast their bagels on account of their 'freshness'. If you don't go during the crowded times, though, you can get a pretty tough ring-o boiled dough that requires the warm touch of a toaster to make delicious. Although I've not had them mess up any orders like others on the blog, they do cost 2.7X, which is more than their W-burg competitors.

On the brighter side of things, I've been to Bagelsmith twice in the past month and been happily surprised. So, all things considered, my favorite bagel options are not dwindling in size, though they are certainly all congregating in the same geographical location.

Abortion Christmas

No, No, No, I don't eat human veal...not even placenta. However, my Christmas this year was a series of aborted plans that was only interrupted by one of the better bagels I've ever had. I wasn't sure whether or not this should just be a comment in the bagel post or put a new one, but I realized the place itself was awesome enough that it deserves it's own post. La Bagel is at 263 1st Ave, just a few blocks about 14th street for all you 'L'ers out there. It's a kosher joint (special kosher sink and all) that has delicious latkes, bagels, herring in cream, etc. The bagel's were a bit pricey (3.00 for cream cheese, 3.5 for most of the flavored cream cheeses, 4.50 for lox spread) but they were made so lovingly who could mind? I had the scallion cream cheese and Z had the lox spread. Both were delicious. The scallions were clearly fresh and there were good sized chunks in it. The Bagel was perfectly toasted to keep the cheese warm but without being too crispy. It was sweet, doughy, heaven.

As they were closing up (it was almost 4:00 PM on christmas) the owner came out and started making hilarious jokes, many at the expense of the patrons of his place who were indecisive about what they wanted to order. I don't want it to seem like he's an ass, though, they were all very caring and good natured (e.g. "look lady, the only challah bread that's better than ours is God's okay?). He more or less immediatly made me want to be a regular. Props to anyone who can make me want to be a regular at their overpriced joint in 5 min. or less. Also, there is a huge banner in the background that says "Pizza made with ". I like signs that I can only read half of and get to make up with the other half says.

Anyway, if you ever want to spend $3+ on a bagel, I wouldn't recommend any other place i've been to more. If you want Challah bread and God is out of town go there, and if you don't want to make latkes (Z made some AMAZING ones the other night holy crap!) buy them here.

A bit about bagels.

Bagels: Doubtless, the single most important food of my life. Here is a list of my favorite bagel spots; hardly comprehensive, just those around where I live work and play that have become an integral part of my existence.

5. Cup o' Joes: Let me be clear - these are not good bagels. Usually low on selection, they also leave something to be desired in the freshness department and the cream cheese is not so lovingly applied. But it is right by my apartment, on Driggs Ave in Greenpoint (across from the darling Mcgolrick Park), the guys who run it are super cool and it just has a nice vibe. Happy place to be and to bagel.

4. Brooklyn Ale House: Okay, this is obviously not a bagel place. But they have bagel brunch, and there are usually a lot of dogs, and the bloody marys are sensational. As if brunch, bloodys, and dogs arent enough, the bagel spread is sweeeet. If you get there by noonish there is usually a good selection, with all different kinds of cream cheese and onions and cukes and tomatoes and sea salt and all things that make a bagel delicious but I usually dont put on a bagel because it is not spread so lavishly before me. I'm pretty sure they get the goods from Bagelsmith, so props to both of these W'burg establishments!

3. Bagelstore: Also known as "Metbag," we'll say because it is on Metropolitan, these are just good bagels. Big space, great selection, cute staff. There is often a lot of confusion between ordering and paying and receiving your order, but if you manage to get through all of that without getting mildy pissed off or milding pissing someone off, it's a worthwile experience.

2. Bagel Bob's: Close enough to work that I can run there on my break, this has proven to be a welcome addition to my bagel routine. Often a lot of NYU kids; but let's face it, NYU kids know their bagels.

1. Murray's: Murray's is just the best. They don't toast their bagels. They refuse. Because they don't need to. Always fresh, always hearty, always perfect. This is the most filling bagel I can imagine. My favorite part, though, is that the everything bagel has everything on BOTH SIDES. This is very important to me, and I am more often than not disappointed in this regard. Thank you Murray, for understanding.

So that's that! I'm always open to bagelggestions, so let me know if you've got any hot bagel tips for me.