"New York bagels" news and stories

Maybe you don't give bagels much thought -- grab one from the freezer, give it a quick toast and a smear of cream cheese and you're set. But for New Yorkers, bagels are a source of local pride, and they take them very, very seriously. 'To toast or not to toast' is one of the city's great debates. Over at The Daily Meal, native New Yorker Arthur Bovino has come out swinging, arguing that toasting a perfect bagel -- one fresh from the oven -- is a travesty.

Find out why he says "Toasting a good bagel is bastardizing a beautiful thing" at TheDailyMeal.com

We want to know: Do you toast your bagels?

New Yorkers, beware. The latest victim in the state's string of foodstuffs to come under tax (soda, pizza, junk food) is perhaps the most irksome and perhaps the most innocent: the city's iconic, beloved bagel.

It seems that if you simply order your bagel unadulterated (not sliced, not toasted, not schmeared with anything) and scram, you're in the clear. But if you order yours sliced open or topped -- with cream cheese, lox, you name it -- or eat it inside the establishment, a tax, dear New Yorkers, may soon ensue.

While the State of New York has yet to formally announce this new tax in code, an old stand-by bagel franchise, Bruegger's, has already been tapped, The Wall Street Journal reports. The company faced the surprise during an audit this summer when owner Kenneth Greene was charged with a lump sum for past bagels and was ordered to implement the tax immediately, adding about eight cents to each sliced/toasted/topped order.

If the hubbub around the bready beast was any indication, New York bagels would seem to be the only ones out there -- chewy behemoths with small holes and lots of room for toppings. Gotham has a competitor in the Montreal-style bagel, however. These tasty rounds are distinguished by larger holes, flatter, denser bodies and a slightly sweet flavor (from a dash of malt and a quick boil in honey-sweetened water).

Above is the first video in a 3-part series detailing how to make Montreal-style bagels. Some say there should be no salt in these babies, but many recipes call for it, so it's your choice. (It's worth noting fellow makes his bagels plumper than the usual slim version, so the fluffiness quotient is also up to you.)

Tip: An easy way to add sesame or poppy seeds to bagels is to pour seeds on to a plate or in a bowl and dip the bagel in post-boil. Sprinkling them on also works, but more coverage can be snagged via a quick roll.