In search of a great bagel recipe...

Last week while in Westchester, I was on a quest for some good NY style bagels. I found a few stores listed on the internet close to my route back to MA (didn't print them figuring that I'd find the one in Pleasantville with no problem). I couldn't find the store in Pleasantville, so I stopped to find the bagel place in Chappaqua but the road construction put be back onto the highway, then I saw a sign for Katonah and exited, stopped in a knitting store to look around and asked them about local bagel shops. I was told that the really good bagels were 5 miles back in Bedford Hills but there was a local place nearby. I unfortunately opted for the closer place. I purchased one dozen and was awarded with 3 more for free. Back on the highway I tore into a sesame bagel and took two bites vs one, because I couldn't believe how tasteless and texture-less the first bite was - I immediately tossed it back into the bag. I then broke a piece off of the cinnamon raisin bagel which wasn't much better than the sesame bagel. I proceeded down the highway and stopped at a CT rest area. I was so disgusted with my bagel purchase that I took the 15 bagels and threw them into the trash barrel...

Having just watched the movie "Julie and Julia" I decided to try and make my own bagels. NY bagels are shiny and crisp on the outside and moist and chewy on the inside. I did some recipe research and they all called for a "bread flour". I googled and found that King Arthur Flour (I use their unbleached white flour all the time) has a fabulous website. I decided to purchase some of their high-gluten flour along with some non diastatic malt powder and am looking forward to making Baby Bagels

As soon as my flour arrives, I'll test this recipe and report back. I'm still looking forward to having a good NY bagel - oh well, I know I'll find one during my next, not too distant future visit to Westchester (but hopefully will make a decent bagel before that).