Comments on: The Great Bagel Debate http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate Jews, Food, and Contemporary Issues Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:20:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Steve http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17265 Steve Wed, 05 Aug 2009 14:50:56 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17265 The best bagels in the world are at Goldberg's New York Bagels in Baltimore, MD. The best bagels in the world are at Goldberg’s New York Bagels in Baltimore, MD.

]]> By: Denise http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17173 Denise Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:56:14 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17173 Eric and Lawrence, I enjoyed the elegance of your argument. I never used to like Montreal bagels but they've grown on me. One of our best bagels in Toronto is Gryfe's. They started a kosher branch which was wonderful but sadly it closed and I heard the owner decamped to NYC. Don't know if anyone has come across them there or if he drowned unnoticed in a competitive sea of good Jewish fare? Gryfe's are so good you can eat them plain. Eric and Lawrence, I enjoyed the elegance of your argument.
I never used to like Montreal bagels but they’ve grown on me.
One of our best bagels in Toronto is Gryfe’s. They started a kosher branch which was wonderful but sadly it closed and I heard the owner decamped to NYC. Don’t know if anyone has come across them there or if he drowned unnoticed in a competitive sea of good Jewish fare? Gryfe’s are so good you can eat them plain.

]]> By: Avigail http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17090 Avigail Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:12:43 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17090 Faygele - thanks for the tip! and in my own borough! I'll have to check it out the one time. Funny enough, when I was living in Portland, Oregon people actually bought bagels shipped from New York City! Someday I'll learn to (boil and) bake my own. Faygele – thanks for the tip! and in my own borough! I’ll have to check it out the one time. Funny enough, when I was living in Portland, Oregon people actually bought bagels shipped from New York City! Someday I’ll learn to (boil and) bake my own.

]]> By: Lawrence http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17080 Lawrence Tue, 21 Jul 2009 22:32:03 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17080 Is anyone making Montreal bagels in New York itself? That would offset some of the carbon issues. The only complication I would foresee is that I'm not sure what NYC regulations are regarding wood-burning ovens. (Most brick oven pizzerias in the city use either natural gas or coal.) Is anyone making Montreal bagels in New York itself? That would offset some of the carbon issues. The only complication I would foresee is that I’m not sure what NYC regulations are regarding wood-burning ovens. (Most brick oven pizzerias in the city use either natural gas or coal.)

]]> By: feygele http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17073 feygele Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:56:58 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17073 Avigail, there's a restaurant opening in Brooklyn called Mile End that will be flying Montreal bagels in daily. (They'll also be serving poutine, smoked meat, and Quebecois beer, amongst other things.) The restaurant isn't kosher, if that's a concern, and certainly has a giant carbon footprint, but it's an option. http://www.blackbookmag.com/guides/details/mile-end Avigail, there’s a restaurant opening in Brooklyn called Mile End that will be flying Montreal bagels in daily. (They’ll also be serving poutine, smoked meat, and Quebecois beer, amongst other things.) The restaurant isn’t kosher, if that’s a concern, and certainly has a giant carbon footprint, but it’s an option.

http://www.blackbookmag.com/gu.....s/mile-end

]]> By: Susan http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17061 Susan Tue, 21 Jul 2009 01:08:46 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17061 Only over bagels could there be such a fuss! I think I'll have to plan a trip to Montreal just so I can weigh in . . . . or maybe we can sponsor a jcarrot bagel-off! Great comments and post. Only over bagels could there be such a fuss! I think I’ll have to plan a trip to Montreal just so I can weigh in . . . . or maybe we can sponsor a jcarrot bagel-off! Great comments and post.

]]> By: Avigail http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17053 Avigail Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:17:59 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17053 Where in NYC can I try a Montreal style bagel? Does anyone know of a place? Where in NYC can I try a Montreal style bagel? Does anyone know of a place?

]]> By: Lawrence http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17048 Lawrence Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:56:48 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17048 Eric, I'm afraid my mental list of near-bagel items became a bit confused, and I offer my apologies there. I'm not sure I did speak "disparagingly" of the subject at hand. I conceded that they might be worth eating, and insisted only that their composition (including egg, and weirdly excluding salt) did not seem to lend itself to the definition of the word "bagel" as I understand it. The suggestion that my not having eaten one somehow affects the validity of my argument is curious. One may learn of the ingredient profile and preparation method of a doughnut, and based only on this intelligence argue correctly that doughnuts and bagels are two separate (if similarly shaped) foods. Whether the one positing the argument has ever eaten a doughnut or a bagel is entirely irrelevant to what is essentially a linguistic distinction blurred by a coincidence of topology: a doughnut is not a bagel, a bratwurst is not a frankfurter, a frisbee is not a pizza, and all is right with the world. That said, I hope you'll forgive what was meant to be a half-joking show of local pride. You should hear Southerners talk about barbecue some time. :) Eric, I’m afraid my mental list of near-bagel items became a bit confused, and I offer my apologies there.

I’m not sure I did speak “disparagingly” of the subject at hand. I conceded that they might be worth eating, and insisted only that their composition (including egg, and weirdly excluding salt) did not seem to lend itself to the definition of the word “bagel” as I understand it.

The suggestion that my not having eaten one somehow affects the validity of my argument is curious. One may learn of the ingredient profile and preparation method of a doughnut, and based only on this intelligence argue correctly that doughnuts and bagels are two separate (if similarly shaped) foods. Whether the one positing the argument has ever eaten a doughnut or a bagel is entirely irrelevant to what is essentially a linguistic distinction blurred by a coincidence of topology: a doughnut is not a bagel, a bratwurst is not a frankfurter, a frisbee is not a pizza, and all is right with the world.

That said, I hope you’ll forgive what was meant to be a half-joking show of local pride. You should hear Southerners talk about barbecue some time. :)

]]> By: Eric Schulmiller http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17047 Eric Schulmiller Mon, 20 Jul 2009 03:27:37 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17047 Lawrence, if you read the very first paragraph of the article that Lisa linked to, you'll see that Montreal bagels are indeed boiled prior to baking. And it seems a little odd (and maybe defensive?) to speak so disparagingly of something you've never even tried. My uncle taught me a wonderful saying, originally from the AA manual: "There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation." Herbert Spencer may not have been referring to Montreal bagels, but he might as well have been. :-) Lawrence, if you read the very first paragraph of the article that Lisa linked to, you’ll see that Montreal bagels are indeed boiled prior to baking. And it seems a little odd (and maybe defensive?) to speak so disparagingly of something you’ve never even tried.

My uncle taught me a wonderful saying, originally from the AA manual: “There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which can not fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance-that principle is contempt prior to investigation.” Herbert Spencer may not have been referring to Montreal bagels, but he might as well have been. :-)

]]> By: Lawrence http://jcarrot.org/the-great-bagel-debate/comment-page-1#comment-17031 Lawrence Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:47:29 +0000 http://jcarrot.org/?p=4393#comment-17031 A bagel is briefly kettled, then baked. I'm sure the rolls with holes from Montréal taste good, but they're not bagels! A bagel is briefly kettled, then baked. I’m sure the rolls with holes from Montréal taste good, but they’re not bagels!

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