To Toast or Not To Toast

[weinoo]

When I was a kid growing up in the ummmmm...mid 20th century, bagels were different. They were smaller and they had a higher crust to crumb ratio and they were better. They probably stayed that way until the great bagel dumbing down of the 80's (or was it the 90's?). That is, until they became a cross-cultural, mass-produced inferior imitation of what they had once been. In most cases.

They also were never toasted; at least not on the day they were bought. Not in my house. Because they were perfect the way they were; like I said - nice and crusty and supremely fresh. Why would you want to toast that? I mean, especilly if you're putting cream cheese and lox on top - I don't really want my cream cheese melting and my lox getting warm at the edges while I'm eating it.

Nowadays, it seems like bagels are always toasted. Probably because they're purchased frozen, or maybe because the crust is as wan as the crumb...they taste better toasted. Of course, there are always the anti-toasters. In this NY Times article, specific mention is made of bagel purveyor Murray's, in NYC's Greenwich Village and Chelsea neighborhoods, and their anti-toasting mantra:

And at Murray’s Bagels in Greenwich Village and Chelsea, the morning crowd can order its bagels topped any number of ways but never — ever! — toasted.

Of course, Murray's bagels are probably good (and I need to buy some) just the way they are when they're fresh.

So what's the point of all this? Simple - do you toast or not?

[Darienne]

I find the entire subject of bagels extremely depressing. When I was growing up in Montreal and then later when we lived again in Montreal in the 60s, we bought bagels. Toast them? I don't think so. They were NOT toasting items.

Today's 'bagels' for the most part are not bagels and not worthy of the name. They are simply circular bread forms with flavors and stuff stuck on them and of course you can toast them.

There are 'ethnic' bakeries in cities like Montreal, New York and I don't know where else, where bagels are still made and sold. And you still wouldn't think about toasting them. Peterpatch is a culinary wasteland (sorry, very repetitious on my part) and so bagels are not available. End of my story.

[feedmec00kies]

I toast for one reason, and one reason alone: if I'm eating it buttered. If I eat a bagel with butter, it needs to be toasted dark and spread with butter while it's still piping hot so it melts into the dough. And I like the flat (and crispy) surface you get from cutting it in half, if I'm buttering it.

[BadRabbit]

I sometimes make a breakfast sandwich with my bagels in which case I toast them because the egg makes it soggy if I don't (I like a runny egg on my sandwich).

If I've made them that day and I'm just spreading with cream cheese, I don't toast.

Bagels are pretty easy to make. If you don't like what you can get out there, why not make them yourself?

[Darienne]

Bagels are pretty easy to make. If you don't like what you can get out there, why not make them yourself?

I don't have a wood-fired oven. That's a problem

[BadRabbit]

Bagels are pretty easy to make. If you don't like what you can get out there, why not make them yourself?

I don't have a wood-fired oven. That's a problem

I've had good results without a real wood fired oven. I've used a pizza stone on a charcoal grill with lump charcoal.

[weinoo]

I've had good results without a real wood fired oven. I've used a pizza stone on a charcoal grill with lump charcoal.

My co-op frowns on that.

But I started this topic more to discuss toasting or not toasting of store-bought bagels. I'm sure home-made bagels are quite good either way (I've made my own...once), but that's not the question I'm posing.

[slkinsey]

I'm lucky enough to live near one of the few remaining NYC bagel makers that makes the old style that's hand-rolled and fits in the palm of your hand: Absolute Bagels. Why mess with perfection? I never toast on the first day.

Day old or defrosted, I usually toast.

[Clark D]

I always toast them. THe bagels that I find, even from bakeries and especially from grocery stores are huge and overly doughy. For me to not toast them would actually be difficult to eat! Having said that I have never really had a good bagel from NY, Montreal etc...Maybe one day!

Clark

Edited March 9, 2011 by Clark D (log)

[KitchenMom]

When a bagel is fresh and really good quality, I never toast (grew up this way and still prefer it). Given that those conditions are rare, though, I will sometimes eat a toasted bagel. My husband has always toasted, and doesn't like untoasted bagels at all. We have often disagreed about this. We are both in our 40s. If I was having butter on my bagel, I would probably toast, but I never do that. I prefer the chewiness of an untoasted bagel with cream cheese and smoked fish.

[janeer]

I grew up eating excellent real bagels in the 50s and 60s. We broke them in half, buttered the ends, ate the buttered ends, buttered again, ate again. Fabulous.

I don't eat bagels anymore unless I am in NY and get them from H&H.

[Busboy]

I toast. Perhaps because I grew up not knowing any better. Even when I get bagels from New York or DC's one remaining (that I know of) decent bagel shop.

I just like the taste.

[Big Mike]

My toaster has a setting for "bagel" which only toasts the cut side of the bagel. How weird is that?

[ShutterSaute]

Bagels are pretty easy to make. If you don't like what you can get out there, why not make them yourself?

I don't have a wood-fired oven. That's a problem

You can always boil them... I never toast bagels when they are fresh, however I always toast the bagged wheat bagels I buy from the grocery store.

My toaster has a setting for "bagel" which only toasts the cut side of the bagel. How weird is that?

Mine does too! I tried it a few times, but don't fully understand why you would want only one side toasted.

Edited March 10, 2011 by ShutterSaute (log)

[BeeZee]

Fresh bagels, never toast them. I even ask for the most well done ones at the bagel shop to ensure the crunch. Bialys, on the other hand, I have to toast. I grew up in NY and NJ, so we can usually find good bagels in the more traditional style.

[Moopheus]

You can always boil them...

You have to boil them--it's not a bagel if it's not boiled. They get baked after boiling.

I don't like toasted bagels--a bagel should be crusty and chewy, and toasting ruins that. And yeah, the melting cream cheese thing is no good either.

[rebecca]

I think there is a general consensus that I agree with. There is something amazing and unique about a proper fresh bagel. There is a taste thing and a texture thing and a smell... *dreamy face* To toast such a thing is a travesty against nature. However, there are situations when I need to walk into a place and get food into my belly. And if I get a bagel, it is going to be toasted because those proper bagels come from very special places, and I can't always find them when I am hungry.

[BarbaraY]

I would love to be able to buy good bagels and we even have a bagel shop in out little town. Sad to say the bagels are as big around as a large saucer and all poofy. If I want good ones I have to make them myself. Toast only after the have started to stale.

[CaliPoutine]

I dont like toasted bagels so I only toast if I have to. I make my own and they are great untoasted on the 2nd and sometimes the 3rd day. I make them a lot smaller than the original recipe calls for ( bread baker's apprentice). When I do toast( a bagel shop bagel). I cut it into 3rds because I find that when only cut in half, its not toasted enough( before burning).

[Nasi_Campur]

If I'm doing it myself... almost always toasted. With butter and/or preserves. Mmmm.

On the run.... as a sandwich with cream cheese? Never, such a ridiculous mess!