The Making of a Bagel Snob

Last weekend I took a very necessary get-away to one of my favorite local resorts... the home of my favorite New Hampshire residents- Reuben, Karen, and Josie. R & K are my brother and sister-in-law's best friends from college, and now they are my "fam away from fam" here in New England. These two are quite the foodies, with Reuben co-owning a happenin' burrito joint, and Karen roasting her own coffee, baking homemade breads, and canning food like it's going out of style. Spending time with Reuben, Karen, and their 6-month-old, Josie, is always relaxing and delicious, and this past weekend was no exception.

"I wish I had teeth so I could eat bagels!"

 Karen decided to wow me once again with her baking skills... she made homemade bagels! (Who does that?!) Lots of commercial bagels are nothing more than circular bread, and there really isn't anything exciting about that. True bagels are boiled before they are baked in the oven, creating that nice, shiny, chewy outside. Karen followed this recipe, which I will highlight below...

All of the hard work was already done... just like magic!

Because Karen is awesome, two days prior to my arrival, she made the homemade dough and let these bagel beauties rise. (I honestly don't know exactly what she did to make the dough, and I don't really care to know, because leaving it a mystery is much more intriguing.) So the bagel dough lying neatly on this tray is what I saw on Saturday morning, ready to go! Next, we boiled them in a magical potion for a minute!

Boil the bagels in water and baking soda. Because it's magic.

During boiling, the bagels puffed up a little, and then we pulled 'em outta the water and topped them with fun things... like kosher salt, cinnamon and sugar, and a great grainy mix. Dog Moose (one of the Top Three Best Dogs in the World) wanted in on the action, too...

Even Moose was excited for Bagel Saturday!

"Seriously, give me a bagel. Staring and smelling is just annoying."

 After we topped them, we stuck them in the oven for about 10 minutes. That's it. And when that oven door opened, out came the most fantastically chewy, tender, flavorful bagels I've ever tasted! I LOVED THESE BAGELS! Our unanimous favorite flavor was topped with cinnamon, sugar and salt... and we spread them with some homemade cream cheese. It tasted a bit like a yogurt. (Serious points to Reub and Karen for attempting a homemade cheesy spread of their very own!)

I don't want you anymore, Panera. Not with these in town.

So, it's official... I'm now a bagel snob. I will never again eat another bagel unless it is freshly boiled and baked minutes prior to me eating it. Don't waste my time, Panera... I don't need you!
I really can't say I will try this recipe on my own... I worry it might be too challenging for a baking non-enthusiast to do alone (without Karen) and it just won't be as good... so this bagel moment remains a delicious memory. A chewy, sweet, salty, warm memory. I'm okay with keeping it that way!

Empty Bowls- A Community Food Event

Lunch on Saturday made me feel good from the inside out. The concept was simple: students, artists, and everyone in between donated handmade bowls to The Community Kitchen, a local soup kitchen in Keene... local restaurants and chefs donated big batches of their best soups... the public was welcome to purchase a bowl and partake in an all-you-care-to-enjoy scrumptious soup lunch. The sweetest ending is that all of the proceeds from the lunch will go to the hungry and needy in our local community!

Step 1: Choose a bowl.

Some bowls cost $5... some cost $70!

Mine's the blue one in the front... made by Cam, grade 7.

Step 2. Go through the soup line and taste all the soup!

Step 3. Go back for a bowl of your favorite... and don't forget dessert!

My taste buds were too overwhelmed to remember to vote for my favorite soup. No soup was boring... the selection included:

• Vermont Cheddar Ale (Winner of People's Choice Award... tasted like fondue!)
• Pumpkin Cider Bisque
• Butternut Squash with Ginger (2nd place Overall Winner... made by Luca's restaurant)
• White Bean and Fennel
• Vegan Cream of Corn (this one was actually one of my faves... it had a very fresh, light, corny taste)
• Roasted Eggplant and Potato Leek
• Corn Chowder with Bacon (personal favorite of Emily, Kelly, and Heather) 
• Chicken Tortilla (1st Place Overall) 

Fresh bread was served to every table, along with apple cider or pomegranate tea to drink and your choice of a killer cake; Pumpkin (pictured above), Apple Spice with Chocolate Chips (aka "War Cake"), or Banana.

I just loved this event. It was wonderful to see people of all ages and walks of life gathering together over fabulous food for a good cause!

Restaurant Review- Getting Fritzy

After a long first day of my community rotation this past Tuesday, fellow interns Emily, Fionna and I knew exactly where we'd be spending our Friday night... Fritz- The Place To Eat. This restaurant, located in downtown Keene, offers a relatively simple menu of Belgian-style fries with gourmet dipping sauces (winner of multiple Best Fries of New Hampshire awards), panini, salads, and burgers.  To drink, choose from an impressive selection of New England microbrews, wine, and homemade soda. Most of the ingredients on the menu are produced locally, including the potatoes used to make their fantastic fries. Fritz has a cozy feel, and offers live music on Thursdays (acoustic night) and Fridays. Fries, beer, and music was a fantastically satisfying way to end our week! (With the addition of chocolate, but more on that later.)

All three of us ordered the same sandwich (go figure, doesn't that always happen with girls?) We had the falafel panini, served in a warmed pita with garlic, onion, lettuce, cilantro, and tahini. Now... I won't lie to you, it wasn't as good as falafel I've had at Pita Cabana Grill in State College, but it was surely a tasty treat. The fries and dipping sauce are the real star here. Fritz knows its diners can't choose just one sauce, so they offer a 3-sauce combo. We chose Curry Pineapple, Lemon Dill, and Rosemary Garlic. These sauces will NOT disappoint! I'm sure even Bobby Flay would approve. Other tantalizing sauces include Peanut Satay, Chipotle Ketchup, and an imported Fritessaus from Holland.

My brew of choice... Long Trail, Harvest, a brown ale made in Vermont

Falafel sandwich, with vine-ripened tomatoes and a tasty tahini

Seriously awesome fries

Our musical act for the evening was a trio named the Folky Folks. We had a front row seat for this folky goodness.

I heart local folk music.

I would certainly recommend Fritz for a casual, quality dining experience. Especially if you are a lover of fries, like me! Now a few hours after our food was devoured and good conversation exhausted to the background of the Folkies, we reached a unanimous decision, time for dessert! We hopped down the street for a more upscale, intimate venue.

Chocolate Pyramid (of love)

Luca's Mediterranean Cafe is located in Keene's center square. What a perfect restaurant for a romantic date! (Or, a late dessert, if you are 3 girls whose boyfriends live in Washington, Michigan, and Texas!) Each sweet treat was perfect in its own way: the Creme Brulee, Cognac Pumpkin Cheesecake, and my personal favorite, the Chocolate Pyramid. (If you click the link to Luca's above, the three dessert photos at the top are the three we selected- we must have good taste!)

Thanks for joining me on our first Restaurant Review! If I am ever hungry again after tonight, there may be more to come...