in the kitchen: barker’s bagels

Posted by on Apr 25, 2010 in in the kitchen, pc-romania, veronica | No Comments

So the blog has been quieter than usual — partly because I’ve been busy and partly because I’ve been sick, for a long while.  But I’m feeling better and will be visiting our fabulous PC doc, Doctor Dan this week to make sure I get back to 100%.  While I’m not looking forward to the long trip to Bucuresti, I’m looking forward to feeling better.

But during my online absence, the kitchen has been the scene a science experiment of sorts. Bagels.

Yes, I know.  Who in their right mind makes homemade bagels when you can just buy a boat-load of them at the grocery store or at the bagel place? Well, when you have neither of those options, you start getting back to basics.

For Round 1 of bagels, I used this recipe.  It took TWO days (UGH) and weren’t all that presentable or impressive.  Probably has more to do with my translation mistake in getting flour than the recipe.  Note: Faina integrala din greu is wheat flour; Faina integrala din secara is rye flour. Ah well, live and learn.

For Round 2, I used this recipe.  These turned out BEAUTIFULLY and didn’t take as much time.  I was duly impressed with myself.  We had them with fried eggs, with cream cheese, with cheese and tomato. We proudly shared them with Romanian friends.  It was like we hadn’t seen a bagel in almost a year!

Round 2 of whole wheat bagels

This weekend was “teach David to make bagels” weekend.  David doesn’t get around the kitchen all that much.  He wouldn’t starve if he didn’t have me around; he’d just eat very differently. Where I am a spontaneous cook, I am quite measured when it comes to baking.  Since David is calculated,  wanting measurements and times and all that jazz, I figured baking breads might become “his thing” in the kitchen.  (I can dream, right?) So today we made a double batch of bagels — 1 dozen plain and 1 dozen cinnamon raisin.  I think he liked it and he was quite good at multi-tasking and watching timers and the like.  These turned out even more delicious than round 2.  And I’d say they are quite pretty.

boiling bagels

fresh and warm bagels

Jealous, huh?  I know!!  You can find our adaptation of the bagel recipes here: Barker’s Bagels

7 Comments

  1. dottie andreassen
    April 25, 2010

    Yeah! I love reading your blog!

    Reply
    • veronica
      April 25, 2010

      Is that so you can find grammar mistakes in it? Or because you know what’s going on in my life?!?

      Reply
      • dottie andreassen
        April 27, 2010

        both?? You KNOW I miss you soooooooooooooooooo much and want to know what new things you’re up to!
        Love, MOM

        Reply
  2. Melody C.
    April 26, 2010

    These look great!! I would eat one just as quickly as one from my local bagel place. Mind you that I’m in San Antonio, not exactly the hotbed of bagel shops, but I suppose I’m not too picky! Can you get good cream cheese there?

    Happy bagel making and hope you recover quickly from whatever is ailing you!!!

    The other Melody (Gretel’s sister)

    Reply
    • veronica
      April 30, 2010

      Thanks Melody! Our docs here are great and I’m sure their magic will work.
      There’s plenty of cream cheese like stuff that works. And actually if we’re feeling fancy, we can buy Philadelphia Cream Cheese, though we’ll feel it in our wallet! But sometimes for a bagel or a good cream cheese frosting, the Philadelphia stuff is completely worth eating ramen for a few days.

      Reply
  3. dottie andreassen
    May 5, 2010

    BLOG??????????????????????
    aNONYMOUS

    Reply
    • veronica
      May 5, 2010

      got the hint, mom!

      Reply

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