Fresh bagel from H & R, cream cheese, lox, thin slices of cuke and a sprinkling of red onion.

I already had the paper, generally getting it on my way home on a Saturday night, and I'd always start with the crossword puzzle.

I can remember it like it was yesterday and it is a very, very fond memory.

Thanks so much for reminding me.

My brother sent me the article, and suggested adding red onion and slice of swiss to my Lightly toasted, with Lox, FRESH GOOD tomato sliced, and cream cheese (tho Dad said that's NOT cheese!!!)

how he talks about comfort foods and what we mean.

In Mexico, they call cream cheese "Philadelphia" - I kid you not. As in "Quiere eso con Philadelphia?".

And they put it on a lot of things.

Whether it is cheese or not, I still love it unashamedly.

and funny that Dad, who grew up, in NYC, above Grandpa's Deli, was very particular about foods, hated pickles (because he'd hated having to stick his hand/arm into the pickle barrel!) and wanted/needed FRESH bread every day, so was happiest in neighborhoods (on L.I., NY, and FL) where it was available!

I think I heard the Philadelphia thing on Bizarre Foods recently.

That combination of chewy and crunchy just can't be matched.

I also do not like pickles, but I'm not sure why. They just seem to overpower everything.

One of the things I love down here is the freshness of many of the products.

Even when you go into the big grocery store, they have enormous bakery sections. You grab a tray and a pair of tongs and just wander around picking out what you want. Then you take them up to the counter and they put them in paper bags, price them and take your tray.

Sliced bread that was baked last week? No thanks.

If you want to throw a few capers on, I won't object.

I have taken to making my own bagels. Anyone want a recipe?

The boiling gives it that shiny surface.

Recipe in my next post.

Would love your recipe.

Artisan Breads Every Day.

I hope that no one will be annoyed if I tell you things you already know. I used to be a college teacher, and pedantry has become engrained in my psyche.

Notes:

* The one thing you should have for this recipe that you probably don't is diastatic malt powder. I get mine from a home-brewer's shop in the next town. King Arthur also sells it on-line. It really does help the flavor. If you don't have it or can't get it, then just leave it out. Malt syrup, which you can get fairly easily, is simply not the same thing.

* A digital scale is essential when baking, since a given weight of flour may vary considerably in its volume. I also weigh the water, since I already have the flour on the scale. Personally, I use grams because it easier to deal with than fractions of an ounce, especially if you are adjusting the amounts. For small amounts, such as a teaspoon or tablespoon, I use measuring spoons, again for convenience.

* As was noted in the thread on biga, a long slow rise will vastly enhance the flavor.

* Instant yeast is easier to use, since you can just mix it into the flour without having to proof it in water. I buy my yeast in jars and store it in the fridge.

* Filtered or spring water does taste better, but tap water works

Ingredients for 6 to 8 bagels

454 gm (1 pound, approximately 3½ cups) unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon (7 gm, ¼ oz) diastatic malt powder
1 teaspoon (3 gm, 0.1 oz) instant yeast
1½ teaspoon (10 gm, ⅜ oz) table salt or 2½ teaspoons (15 gm, ½ oz) kosher salt
255 gm (9 oz, slightly over 1 cup) lukewarm (95°F or 25°C) water

Whisk the malt powder, yeast and salt into the flour in a mixing bowl. Pour in the water. If you are using a stand mixer, use the dough hook and mix on low (#2 on a Kitchen-Aid) for 3 minutes. If you are mixing by hand, use a large, sturdy wooden spoon and stir vigorously for 3 minutes, or until well blended. The dough should form a stiff, rather coarse ball, and the flour should be fully hydrated; if it isn't, stir in a bit more water. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes to absorb the water.

Resume mixing with the dough hook on the lowest speed for another 3 minutes or transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead by hand for about 3 minutes to smooth out the dough and develop the gluten. The dough should be stiff yet supple, with a satiny, barely tacky feel. If it seems too soft or too tacky, knead in a bit more flour.

Put into a lightly oiled bowl, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap (I use a two quart Anchor Hocking bowl with a red plastic lid that I bought for about $6) and let it rise for an hour.

Prepare a sheet pan by covering it with a silicone mat or parchment paper, then misting it with spray oil or lightly coating it with vegetable oil. Split the dough into six to eight equal pieces, each weighing about 4 oz (113 gm) (you can make them a bit smaller). Form each piece into a ball by rolling it on a clean, dry surface with a cupped hand. Then flatten each ball out into a disk.

Poke a hole in center of the disk to form a doughnut shape. Holding the dough with both thumbs in the hole, rotate the dough in your hands, gradually stretching it to create a hole about 2 inches in diameter. (Another way is to roll the ball into a rope about 8 inches long, then moisten the two ends, and press the two ends to form the doughnut shape. I tried this, and half of my bagels came apart where I had squeezed the ends together.)

Place each shaped bagel on the sheet pan, spray them lightly with oil or brush a light coat of vegetable oil on them. Cover the sheet pan with plastic wrap and put the bagels into the fridge overnight or for up to two days.

Remove the bagels from the refrigerator an hour or so before baking and preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C). If you are going to adulterate your bagels with poppy seeds, onion flakes or other such nastinesses, prepare those garnishes now.

Fill a wide pot at least five inches deep with four inches of water (probably about 2-3 quarts). Bring this to a boil, and then lower the heat until it simmers. Stir in 1 tablespoon (14 gm, ½ oz) baking soda, 1 teaspoon table salt and 1½ tablespoons sugar. The only one of these that is crucial is the soda: Too much and you will be able to taste it.

Gently lower each bagel into the pot, adding as many as will comfortably fit without crowding. They should each float to the surface within a few seconds -- If the first one does not float, let the remaining bagels rest for half an hour, then try again. After a minute, turn the bagels over with a slotted spoon, and let them poach for 30-60 seconds. Remove from the pot with the slotted spoon, and place them rounded side up back on the pan. If you want to sprinkle a garnish on, now is the time to do it.

When all the bagels are on the pan, place the pan in the oven, then lower the heat to 450°F (230°C). Bake for 16-18 minutes, until the bagels are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack for at least half an hour before slicing or eating.

I will do this, someday, somewhere.

But not in my itty, bitty galley.

Saved. Thanks for doing this.

we go to Einstein's and get fresh Bagels. OMG they are sooooo good.

MD suburbs of DC. Now that you mentioned it, may get some on my way to southern MD soon!

it's a splurge for us, but we're overdue