Here’s what I thought this story was going to be. . . what I had been told: The only place in Providence to buy a decent bagel is the coffee shop in the train station because they are brought in daily from New York City (which is the only place on earth where they know how to make bagels I am told). I had even pictured an elderly Jewish man — let’s call him Izzy Mandelbaum — schlepping boxes of bagels in the early morning darkness to the train so that the people of Providence could get themselves a proper bagel.
Here’s what I found: The bagels are made in New York City, but are brought in once a week by a Massachusetts food distributor, frozen — so, no Izzy.
But (and this is where the story gets good again) behind the counter is of all things a transplanted Kentuckian. Danny (seen here kvelling) moved here five years ago and has this lovely mellifluous drawl that makes everything sound better, and if he says the bagels are excellent I believe him. (Next time don’t send the shiksa on the bagel story — I’m more of a crumpet gal myself.)
Fresh bagels == Good bagels. Period.
And New York doesn’t have a monopoly on fresh, much less good bagels. I’ll grant you that they move a lot of bagels, and are thus likely to have some of the best. But it’s NYC, so I guarantee you they’ll also have some of the worst.
Try Bagel Gourmet, or whatever else is nearby, and get over your silly romance with New York…
what about bagel gourmet ole?
Actually, Montreal bagels top New York ones. But neither are worth going out of your way for if (a) they are over 12 hours old or (b) ever been frozen. But one makes do with the bagels you have, not the bagels you wish you had.