Nice profile of a master bagel maker capable of seventeen bagels per minute.
i take some issue with the reporter detailing her typical bagel order with an addendum of “and it’s toasted of course”. i was raised (in NY) with a strong bias against toasting which i believe still persists with many eaters. this is no a rant on toasted/untoasted just that she would say “of course”, i found it odd.
I watched that this morning. First I was like, why does this have to be 15:00? And then I wanted it to be longer. Mostly so I could see his technique a little better - I’ve made bagels a few times, and my hand-rolling is pretty lame.
Nice, but Dude! Take a day off!
I wasn’t raised in NYC, but I still believe toasting a bagel is a crime against humanity.
I remember when they were never toasted!
I wouldn’t toast a fresh bagel. But I would toast one that’s been in the freezer or whatever.
Yes this is it exactly. Usually I will toast my frozen bagels whole, not cut and toasted though. I feel that gets it pretty close to the initial fresh bagel state.
I don’t know if this is a hand rolling thing, but occasionally you get a bagel that pulls apart with the dough coming apart in a circular shred like fashion. I consider this to be the greatest hallmark of a perfect bagel alongside the slight crisp chew on the outside. I rarely eat bagels any more but I never seem to get a bagel that pulls apart like this any more.
Court St Bagels is one of my local joints! Happy to see Celestino getting his flowers.
We make bagels 2-3 times a month but we’re heathens who poke a thunb hole through the dough ball rather than rolling a rope.
As for toasting, we don’t on the day they are made but often do toast any that survive to a second day.
Agreed. I WAS raised in metro NYC. Quite some years ago, when Bruegger’s Bagels opened a location near my suburban Boston home, I was a frequent customer. Their bagels were far from authentic NY style but the pumpernickel ones were delish with chive cream cheese, mustard, sliced sweet onion, and Schaller & Weber liverwurst - my favorite lunch. Other customers complained that the bakery cafe didn’t offer toasting. Although they explained that since they baked throughout the day, their bagels were crusty and warm, they eventually caved in to the demands of New England philistines.
Lender’s bagels, which are frozen, have 2 characteristics: they are smaller - I.e. the size that bagels used to be, and they have a slight crust, just like bagels used to have.
But Lenders aren’t very good. There are plenty of bagels in my area that have a decent crust. They are too big, though.
How does frozen bagels enter the chat on a thread about hand rolled bagels?
That’s sort of like someone mentioning the beauty of Sanka in a discussion about single origin coffee.
As my other half says when I ask him a difficult question, it’s one of the sacred mysteries.
I Love those On The Job videos that Priya Krishna does. The bagel guy is amazing. Also, I will admit that I always toast my bagel (and most bread in general when making sandwiches). Born and raised on the other coast, have never lived in NY….
Me too on the toasted bagels! Living in the far west, didn’t even realize non toasted bagels were the traditional way. 
Born and raised in LA in the fairly distant past, we never toasted bagels.
My uncle, who was culinarily goyishe toasted his. We were at Art’s deli and he order a toasted bagel and was given a choice, either the bagel was not toasted or he could leave. He left and made us all leave with him and go to a coffee shop. Dupar’s pancakes WERE NOT the same as Art’s lox and fish platters!
