bibbity boppity bagel

Our kids grew up eating my homemade bagels – they’re a food that ranks almost as high as homemade noodles. They’re lighter than the store-bought variety, and when they’re still warm from the oven, split open and spread with a little cream cheese or butter, they’re the world’s perfect food. At this time of year I’ll add sliced tomatoes from the garden – a little salt, a little pepper. Yes.

Years ago a family with three kids lived next door. Whenever I made bagels, I would give them half the batch. It felt like a good thing to do, despite the sad faces from my family as they watched nine bagels go out the door. I did this good deed for a few years. Finally, the mother told me politely that they really didn’t like them nearly as well as the supermarket kind. What?? Dang! What a waste! I wish she had told me from the beginning.

I taught some friends to make these the other day. After they came out of the oven we feasted on them. When the time came for my friends to say good bye, each carried away a bag of them, and they looked pretty happy about it.