Food Literacy: Meat, FARM Bloomington, and White People

Looking for fun food links? Well, here you go:

• Chow has a primer on responsible meat-eating, in terms of green concerns.
• The reviews for FARM Bloomington aren't looking great, and I'm wondering if anyone's gone there. For more background, check out Feed Me/Drink Me's review and, most recently, a post from Indy.com.
  
• If you've never been to Stuff White People Like, the entry on dinner parties is a great place to start. (Thanks, Chris, for the reminder about this site.)
• The always excellent notmartha has some great "new kitchen things" that seem pretty cool. That's one of them below, a silicone veggie steamer. Pretty color!

Rachel and the Rachel pie

Sometimes in life, we are lucky enough to find good friends who share our enthusiasm for music, film, activities, and conversational topics. Occasionally, lady luck is overabundant and provides friends who are also dazzlingly smart and wonderfully kind. And, on the very rarest of occasions, there are friends who embody all these things and also introduce you, you lucky person, to a new flavor combination or dish or special recipe. I've got a friend named Rachel, and all of the above lucky friend descriptions definitely apply to her.

I won't go on and on about the first two categories, but the last, her ability to bring a new food in my life, has served me quite well recently. You see, Rachel introduced me to a special blend of pizza toppings to produce a pie that those who know her call "the Rachel."

The Rachel is good. It includes gorgonzola, pecans, and fresh basil on a normal pie with red sauce and about half the regular amount of mozzarella. The traditional and original home of the Rachel is Moe & Johnny's. You can order it elsewhere, just check out the salads -- often the pecans aren't an offical pizza topping, but they're likely to be somewhere in the kitchen. On a recent ladies' night out to Some Guys pizza, Amy and I shared a Rachel, and I somehow ended up with both of the leftover slices. That's one of them below.

Some Guys makes a reliably good pie, with a crisp bottom and generous, though not overly generous, toppings. Any of their in-house pies are a good plan, but the Rachel might just be a teensy bit above average. I paired my leftover slice with an herb-baby lettuce salad topped with dried cherries and a simple balsamic. Dried cherries, blue cheese, basil, crispy crust, herby leaves, and pecans may be an ideal autumn dish, but they served me quite well for my not-quite-spring mid-week lunch.

By the way, if you're wondering, "Who is this amazing Rachel, with her fabulous pizza stylings?" Well, that's her below, in my favorite (admittedly old) picture of her. That lovely bald head in the foreground belongs to her guy, who is probably the kindest person I've ever met. Nice pair, huh?

vintage joy of cookbook illustrations

Over at Bluelines (MSLO's entirely insufficient but still great blog replacement for the glorious bountiful imagery and loveliness that was Blueprint, RIP), they're sharing a great collection of vintage cookbooks, as well as explaining a bit about how inspirational these little gems can be.


I'm so glad they're sharing, because maybe if I just look at them online, I won't try to add more to my already ridiculous quantity of cookbooks. All right, I'll 'fess up. I'm planning on heading to the thrift this very night to try to scoop up new additions to my packed cookbook shelves.


Can anybody help me with this problem?

miniature by mail order

As previously stated, I love the miniature. Despite a general interest in being "green" and decreasing my negative impact, tiny packages of foods are just as appealing to me as tiny baked goods. As long as I avoid CostPlus World Market, I don't end up being wasteful in packaging and delighted in the small-ness of picnic-ready mustards and ketchup bottles.

But dagnabbit, if one of my favorite blogs didn't go and remind me about how much I love them and then provide me with a link to a place that sells these things. Oh, Happy Mundane, you tempt me with your pretty picture of a hotel-room ketchup bottle. See:


Well, with this picnic-size reminder of food, I suppose that I can keep thinking about how exciting the IMA Summer Nights series line-up is this year, right? Sholay will be a highlight and hopefully will be paired with a samosa or two.

Cheers to Transitions!

In honor of my guy's final day at one of Indianapolis' finest purveyors of natural goods and foods, I present a toast with the Bitter Widow.

Remember Steve Zissou (Bill Murray) in the Life Aquatic and his pretty red cocktail, the center of one of my sweet guy's favorite movies? I had no idea that his drink was probably a metaphor for the disenchanted nature of his character, until I jumped into the world of Campari.

Campari advertisement by Bruno Munari who, by the way, also made some amazing kids' books

I'm not pretending to be as bitter as Steve Zissou, but I do like to drink Campari cocktails. (For the record, I am in no way suggesting that Ben is bitter, either.) Chow, an excellent cocktail resource and our go-to site before the monthly First Friday gathering, led me to try the bitter red loveliness with their Bitter Widow recipe. This adaptation of what is apparently the "classic Negroni" couldn't be simpler.

Bitter Widow
1 part vodka
1 part Campari
1 part Sweet Vermouth
a healthy bounty of ice

For single servings, combine in a cocktail shaker and stir the booze up.
For a party, fill a pitcher and serve over ice.

A word of warning -- it's a good idea to let folks know that this a pretty stiff drink. The ruby color of this cocktail can fool people into thinking the Bitter Widow is some sort of fruity-fresh thing. It is not. It is, however, a great way to celebrate a career transition.

And a quick little hint about streamlining your liquor cabinet: If you keep Campari on hand, there is no need for bitters, unless you're some sort of bitters aficionado/a. Just substitute the pretty red aperitif for your regular bitters!

Miniature Musings

Have I mentioned how much I love miniature foods? I'm more than a little bit addicted to all things small and edible. Unfortunately, "normal" food addictions just don't interest me. Chocolate is good and all, but I don't need it every day. Coffee can be delicious, but I found that out post-college, so I don't think it will ever become something I do every morning. In place of these normal daily desires, miniature foods and mangoes are the primary consumable objects of my affection.
So, when a pretty pan for miniature baked goods presents itself to me, it's quite a challenge not to grab it and head to the nearest cash register. Even though this really great super-mini (that is, smaller than the one I already have) brownie bundt cake pan is on sale for $14.99, limited cabinet space and a slightly fed-up partner tell me that I must let it go. Perhaps you should buy it, so I know it will be loved?

Ben & I Yogokiss.

Ben and I aren't normally the sort to partake in public displays of affection, but we may be Yogokissing plenty in the coming months.
Following up yesterday's trip to the bakery, I decided that a lighter, though still sweet, treat might go nicely with our suddingly sunny (!) weather. At the lunch hour, I called up my guy and asked if he'd like to join me on a quick trip to the recently reopened Yogokiss, located at the River Ridge Crossing strip mall at 4825 E. 96th. This pinkberry-esque yogurt shop offers a simple yogurt formula: a nonfat yogurt base in original or chocolate and an assortment of toppings. We both got the original flavor, which has a lovely yogurt taste, as well as an airy texture that borders on grainy. Ben sampled the chocolate flavor, which had a nice balance of chocolate richness and tangy yogurt.



The stars at Yogokiss are definitely the toppings. I chose mango, blackberry, and pistachio (on the right, above). The salty whole nuts, the little bits of diced mango, and the big blackberries made for a great topping combination. Ben's selection, brownie bits, raspberries, and sliced almonds, was also great. The brownie bits were nice and fudge-y. Next time, I'm thinking about trying a pineapple-coconut-mango combination. There's so many possibilities - more reason to keep coming back!

stools, tables, and levitating fruit

The interior of the shop is exuberant. Decorated with happy little stools, a comfy red couch, bright walls, magazines displayed in a checkerboard on the wall (mostly celebrity rags, but with Time, Highlights, and National Geographic Kids, too), and big red-flower wall decals, it's unexpectedly cute for a strip mall shop. A surrealistic display of hanging fruit and cotton-ball clowds added a fun sense of whimsy to the experience. The counter service was welcoming and enthusiastic about the product.

I can't wait to stop Yogokiss by on a truly warm day and exercise my right to mix up toppings and consume this reduced-calorie frozen treat.

Basics:

• Location: River Ridge Crossing ,4825 E. 96th St. #300
• Hours: 11 to 9 on weekdays, 11 to 10 on Friday and Saturday
• Menu: basic & healthy, but delicious
• Plan for return: soon and often
• Recommended to: those who enjoy all things cute or fruit, nannies and new mothers toting little folk, waist-watchers, tired shoppers coming from the Fashion Mall or car dealerships, non-recovering yogurt addicts
  

my visit to the Flying Cupcake, finally

I've been curious about the Flying Cupcake Bakery since the first day I heard of it, many months ago. But something kept me from going to the cute little sugar outpost at 5617 North Illinois; I was scared that all the cupcakes there would be too, too sweet. Sweetness is good, don't get me wrong. But a dollop of overly saccharine buttercream can ruin a baked good for me. I really, really wanted to like a cute little bakery specializing in cupcakes, the crossroads of my love of cake crumbs and my frenzy for all things miniature. So I didn't go until...

The super-sweet, in a good way, interior of the Flying Cupcake.

Today, spurred on by Jolene's coverage in the Indianapolis Star and a need for bright sweetness in this gray weather, I decided to head over and see what the Flying Cupcake could offer me. What did they offer? Plenty! In addition to a lovely interior sprinkled with pink, teal, and seafoam vintage pieces and excellent counter service, the range of cupcakes was impressive and exciting.

pretty, pretty little cakes

Most of the other cupcake patrons were schoolchildren, dropping in to pick up a quick little treat. My possibly-too-sweet-for-me fears bubbled, but I braved on, sure that a good fit was available for me. I looked up at the chalkboard menu and down at the cupcakes, trying to figure out which selections would have the best balance of flavor to sugar. I happily found several interesting choices. Not being one for bakery shyness, I took home one each of red velvet, "what's up doc" (carrot), black forest, messy Mississippi mud pie, and chocolate-peanut butter.

Is it wrong to bring home five cupcakes when one's husband has just been to the dentist? What if his mouth is still numb? Well, I didn't think so. And neither did my guy.

the "what's up doc?" fronting on the black forest cupcake.

We only sampled three cupcakes tonight. (Perhaps "only" is the wrong word when two people share three generously-size cupcakes.) Underneath orange sprinkles and a tangy cream cheese frosting, the "what's up doc?" cupcake was packed with carrot, coconut, and plump raisins. The black forest cupcake was yummy but had excessive buttercream for me, though Ben didn't seem to mind. The cherry on top and the cherry goo in the middle were a great counterpoint to the rich chocolate cake.

oh, heavenly chocolate peanut butter, gone too soon

The best of the three, without smidgen of doubt, was the chocolate peanut butter. The cake was perhaps a little too light - it got a bit smooshy when we tried to divide it in half. Never mind that, though, because the peanut butter frosting was amazing. The super-rich but still light frosting isn't something I'd cover a cake with, but it paired beautifully with the strong chocolate flavor of the cake. I happily scraped and devoured the tiny bit peanut butter frosting that was smeared on the side of the pastry box.

As good as the cupcakes were, next time I stop by the Flying Cupcake Bakery, I'll head straight to the lovely orange truffles. Truffles and another chocolate peanut butter cupcake.

waiting for sunshine

Spring means so many things to me: time to plant; availability of great asparagus; the beginnings of farmers' markets; a lengthening of days; the chance to start new things (spring is much better than the new year); and the contrast of rain and sunshine.

The rash of chilly, rainy days in central Indiana have been challenging. Lazy rainy days, umbrellas, hoods, hats, and raincoats are great, but lately I crave warm sun.

Thankfully, at Píntame el día there is a pretty picture that makes me appreciate not only hoods but also the need to wear them (via red aprons & lunchboxes). Here you go:
Because who wants sun when rain can look so good?

I'm trying to enjoy these gray days and to quiet my urge to whine about a current preference for sun. Sun will come; rain is good for now.

Sunday Morning Visiting Chef

Few things in life are better than a nice Sunday breakfast with my guy and/or a great friend or two. But this past Sunday, our friend Kenneth introduced us to something a little bit more special -- breakfast in our own house provided by a very good friend.


That's our very special guest chef Kenneth, above, sharing his secrets for pancake deliciousness. He makes pancakes that are kind of thin, adds a touch of sweetened condensed milk to a good pancake mix, and makes a warm and yummy banana topping to top the yummy disks of cakey goodness. I fell hard for his pancake style - it's somewhere between my beloved Swedish pancake and the traditional American pancake. Good, good stuff.

Kenneth is nice enough to share his tips with all of you, too. Here they are:

• For thinner than average pancakes, make the batter a little soupier.
• Butter is better! Even using our nonstick griddler (thanks, Joel!), the butter makes the pancakes a bit richer.
• Regarding the flip: watch for bubbles. Once the bubbles emerge everywhere, it's time to flip.
• The other flip-tip: golden edges are a flip-time sign.

Ben's tip: Making Sunday breakfast is easier when Mimosas (and sweet Claire kitties) are involved.



Behold, the pancake feast. We went high-low-yum with a maple-butterworth-banana-ready whip assortment of toppings. Just like we all like it!

Kenneth's the best, huh? His photos aren't too shabby either!

pomegranate yogurt from Joe

Ah, a little pleasure just for you: Trader Joe's Greek Style Nonfat Yogurt in Pomegranate.

Could I make this by adding a little bit of pomegranate molasses to some yogurt? Of course. Would that add a few minutes too many to my groggy morning, making me late for work? Probably. Ever-ready with shortcuts of decent quality, Trader Joe's addresses my flavor and my convenience needs with this little cup of sweet-tart creamy goodness. Thanks, Joe!

This little pleasure is an impressive upgrade on typical single-serving yogurts. Greek style yogurt is thicker, pomegranate flavor is more special, more adult. Does it cost more than Dannon? Well, yeah, that's the tricky part, especially with increasingly expensive gas prices. But it's worth it, I tell you, for the convenience and joy of pomegranate flavor in the morning! Plus, I make each little 5.3 ounce cup last two days, spreading it over cereal or granola two days in a row.

What's your favorite yogurt flavor - ready-made or home-mixed? (This is an opportunity to add to the conversation, by the way, so please do!)

dinner by Suzanne

As much as I adore cooking & entertaining, being is a guest at someone's table is one of my favorite experiences. Last night, after a lovely, surprise invitation, our friend Suzanne welcomed us to her table for what felt like a sneak preview of Spring's best dishes.

Our lovely host, popping open the main-course wine

After a yummy salad with cranberries, walnuts, and scallions, Suzanne served up pea-asparagus risotto and a frittata packed with carrots, tempeh bacon, and goat cheese. The pictures don't do her dishes justice!


Risotto may be one of the world's best dinner party dishes. Yes, it's true, you do labor over it for a while and bring it to the table quickly. But risotto's special of-the-minute service also allows you to invite guests into the kitchen, to enjoy the cooking experience. If I were completely transparent, I would own up to sometimes being completely uncomfortable with having guests in my mid-prep kitchen. But I'm working on that... Anyhow, it was great to hang out with Suzanne, Ben, and Derk in the kitchen while it all came together.



The fritatta: goat cheese plus carrots plus little salty bites of tempeh plus, of course, eggs --- what more needs to be written? It was yummy and light and perfect.

In addition to spring-like weather, last night's dinner is exactly what I needed to gear up for Spring. It's so very close!

reading is fun-damental

Hey there, peeps! Here's some click-worthy reads for you:

* Did you know that potatoes sometimes connect with their nightshade heritage by turning green and trying to poison you? Well, Elise at Simply Recipes would like you to know all about it!

* I don't know about you, but I am getting ready to celebrate my Irish heritage on St. Patrick's Day. Over at Chow, they'd like to tell you about methods for consuming Guinness that do not utilize a glass. Of the 10 recipes, I can heartily recommend the Irish Stout & Cheddar Fondue, a dish that makes an annual appearance at Ben's birthday fondue party.

* Clotilde at Chocolate & Zucchini is singing the praises of late-winter eating and celebrating the season with a Grated Beet and Carrot Salad. So simple, so beautiful, so yummy. Why do I always come around to a season's food selections right before a new season begins?

* Over at the kitchn, they're discussing Ikea kitchens. Ben and I have considered utilizing the Sweedish giant for a kitchen redo at our house. Anyone employed Ikea cabinets in your home? Tips? Perspectives?

* I'm planning on making this Rutabaga and Avocado soup with a few of the avocados that weren't quite ripe enough for Friday's guacamole. These set aside green fruit are now threatening to go over-ripe. Tricky little greenies!

overdue post-punk-party

Today, I am proud to publish a quick follow-up and a basic tamalito recipe. Please enjoy.

Ben's guacamole - yum.

First Friday was, as usual, pretty darn fun. The menu included two kinds of tamalitos: black bean-sharp cheddar & caramelized onion-sweet potato. Yum. The sweet potato tamalitos were totally vegan and disappeared slightly sooner than the black bean-cheddar ones. Ben made super-fresh, super-fine guacamole and mole brownies. We also had a veggie try with chipotle dip (one chipotle and 8 ounces of sour cream blended with a pinch of salt). Drinks-wise it was margaritas from a pitcher (2 parts tequila, 1 part triple sec, and 2 parts lime juice plus simple syrup to taste) and agua de jamaica (sweetened hibiscus tea).

Ben's mole brownies - extra yum!

Tamales may be the best party food ever. You make them in advance, then put them in a steamer about an hour before your guests arrive. Everyone, including our friends with Latin American roots, said they were good. So, here's a recipe.

Tamalitos with Black Beans & Cheddar OR with Caramelized Onions & Sweet Potatoes
Serves many - around 40 tamalitos

Wrapping
1 8-ounce package of corn husks

Masa
1 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
4 cups masa harina
4 cups warm vegetable stock or warm water
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 Tablespoons (preferably Mexican) oregano
1 Tablespoon salt

Filling
Olive Oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon of cumin seeds, crushed and chopped (I actually like to spread them on the garlic mid-chop, and then chop the two together. That way, the seeds don't become little projectiles.)
2 cups cooked black beans, canned or home-made
1/4 cup roasted, skinned & chopped green chiles (you can also use the little cans of chiles)
Juice of one lime
Salt and pepper

OR
3 Tablespoons canola or olive oil
2 sliced onions
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup coconut milk
Salt

Soak the dried husks: Pour boiling water on top of the husks & soak until they are pliable - about one hour. You may have to put a weighted plate on top of them, to keep them submerged.

Prepare the masa: Beat the shortening at medium to high speed for about 5 minutes or until it is fluffy. Meanwhile, combine the masa and the stock, whisking until it is smooth. Add the masa about a cup at a time, along with the other dry ingredients. Once you've added it all, beat it for about 10 minutes - until it is fluffy and has a texture almost like a sponge.

Prepare the black beans: Heat oil. Saute the onions over medium-high heat, adding the garlic and cumin after about two minutes. Cook the three together for around two minutes, or until it's cooked but not browned. Add the beans, chiles, and lime juice, and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes, adding water or juice (depending on how lime-y you like it) if it becomes too dry. Once the mixture is nicely combined and warmed throughout, smoosh some of the beans with the back of your spoon. You're looking for a half-smooshy, half-chunky mixutre. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Prepare the sweet potatoes: Heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, stirring regularly until they begin to brown. Lower the heat to medium-low and continue stirring the onion for about 15 minutes, or until they reach a nice, deep brown. Put the sweet potatoes in a pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil, and cook until soft. Mash them with the coconut milk. Stir in the onions. Add salt to taste.

You may want to take a break now. I know that Ben and I did. You can refrigerate the masa and/or the fillings for a bit. Or you can soldier on. I'm not judging.


Assembly:
Take out one of your pre-soaked husks. You'll want tear some of the little husks into thin strips, to tie the ends of your tamalitos. Laying the husk in front of you, take around 2 Tablespoons of the masa and plop it in the middle of the husk. Leave the bottom third of our husk clean, using the middle third to spread the masa into a 4-inch square. You want to have at least one-half inch of husk on either side of the masa. Once you have the 4-inch square, spread 1 teaspoon to 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling on the masa, leaving some clear masa on all four sides.

Take the sides of the husk and pull them together, forming a cylinder. Then, fold up the bottom third and use one of the strips to tie it down. You can also tie the top with another strip. We used the tied-off tops to distinguish the two types of tamalitos for our guests. At this point, you can refrigerate the prepared tamales for up to one day OR you can freeze them.

Cook:
Place the tamalitos in a steamer insert and place them over boiling water which is at least three inches deep. Make sure the water cannot reach the bottom of the tamales. Cook, maintaining steam, for around one hour. When they are done, the husk can be pulled from the masa without sticking and the masa should be firm. When you first take them out of their steamer cradle, they might seem a little squishy, but they need to be set aside for about 10 minutes to firm up.

Serve, ideally with a yummy sauce. We made this sauce from Martha, and it went over like gangbusters.

in the works: el siete de marzo

For our monthly First Friday Shindig: TAMALITOS!

We've worked and worked and worked.

And tonight's the night.

All that's left now is the agua de jamaica and margaritas.
And two hours.

Results reporting tomorrow!

Shaka Zulu!

Have you been wondering what Coolio is up to? Yeah, me neither. Thankfully, the Morning News was on top of it and provided a great link to Coolio's new creative work - helping the world learn how to cook good food. Check out his video-tutorial for helping kids learn to love spinach. Coolio's approach is ten times better than Jessica Seinfeld's technique. (I'd launch into my don't-hide-the-veggies tirade, but Mimi Sheraton has already done that nicely.)

In the early PR for the show, Coolio revealed his intentions: “When it comes to the kitchen, I’m on a mission. I’m the neighborhood ghetto witch doctor superhero and I’m gonna make you forget about every other cooking show you’ve ever seen.”

Talk about a fantastic voyage. (Apologies for that one.)

great guests

With our monthly First Friday party approaching, I'm about to head into the kitchen to begin tamalito production. While the rest of our "siete de marzo" foods will be easy to make, tamales take time even when they are of the miniature variety. But that time is good for me - cooking offers me the chance to slow my zippy brain and focus on one topic. This time, as I make up the masa and fillings, I plan to reflect on how I could do a better job of being a guest.

Ben's cousin Ryan, a great guest, in yet another New Year pic - courtesy of Kenneth Rhem

To get started, here are my four tried-and-true favorite guest tips:

• Unless it's specifically stated (e.g., "RSVP: regrets only" or "RSVPs appreciated but not required") responding to an invitation is not optional; help your host by letting them create an accurate head count. Preparing food, drinks, and atmosphere requires some idea of how many people will be joining the shindig. Have I ever neglected to reply? Yes. And I still feel guilty about each non-RSVP, but maybe that's just my Irish Catholic heritage kicking in. Check out Chow's take on the subject.

• Be your best self. Amy Sedaris says that hosts "really do need to have good guests to have a good evening." She says it because it's true. Be funny. Be open. Be sassy. Enjoy the experience and make it clear that you are enjoying the results of your host's efforts.

• At the end of the party, if it is large-ish, Domino magazine advocates utilizing the "French leave" - basically, leaving without grabbing the host for goodbyes. I love this advice, but I also love goodbyes - go figure.

• Gifts never hurt. We've been exceedingly surprised by the sweet little gifts that friends occasionally bring to our house. A little pot of baby's breath, delicious truffles, and a lovely kitchen towel are a few favorite gifts, but the best gift of all is the company of friends. Might Goods has a few other excellent ideas for your hosts and hostesses. Again, all I desire from our company is good times - no pressure!
  

If you want to find out all the Emily Post-style perspectives, there are several spots to check them out, Or you could read a ridiculous "A-Z of modern etiquette" that has an alphabet-centric format that speaks to my former literacy-tutoring program manager self AND has nothing whatsoever to do with party-going.

If you have a great tip or two, please do share!

Bagel Fair = Heaven

In the realm of little food pleasures, I feel passionately brand-loyal about only a few places. With Vietnamese food, I can't decide whether to recommend King Wok (jackfruit shakes and amazing summer roll sauce) or Saigon (awesome vegetarian bun with grilled tofu) to friends. With Thai food, my loyalties are divided all over town. Ditto Indian food. Ditto pizza. Ditto semi-foodie lunch spots. Ditto local coffee places. But there are two food outlets to which I am absolutely loyal: Yats! and, today's little pleasure spotlight, Bagel Fair.

There is no bagel-based little pleasure so heavenly as Bagel Fair. Tucked away in its unassuming Nora Plaza location on Indianapolis' northside, the overhead sign reads only "BAGELS." Is the simple, one-word sign demonstrating humility or hubris? Based on the cheeky counter guys, I'd say that it's a good balance of the two. Humility factor: no fancy pants interior, no uniform for employees, simple in-store signs, no branded bags. Hubris factor: you can tell that they know that Bagel Fair is the only real bagel place in town.

But lets get to the point: these bagels are truly delicious. Perfectly chewy, generously seasoned, not overly sweet, and with the occasional crunchy edge, they are also very reasonably priced. You'll pay 80 cents for one or $8.50 for a dozen. Bialies and flagels (flat bagel) are $1 a piece. With toppings, they're a bit more. I've only ever had savory bagels, because that's what I enjoy, but I have enjoyed sesame, poppy seed, garlic, and onion bagels from Bagel Fair. My absolute favorites are the bialy-flavor and everything bagels.

Bagel Fair bagels are all good enough to truly enjoy without the smooshy "shmear" of toppings you'll find at every other bagel place. If you're anything like me, though, you'll probably end up getting cream cheese on your bagel. Thankfully, the good Bagel Fair folks don't overstuff - you'll get enough to add creamy tanginess to each bite, but not enough to have cream cheese leaking out the side. If you're feeding a crowd, you can also get little tubs of plain and flavored cream cheese, as well as drinks, from the cooler.



That's a bialy-flavor bagel above, eaten Saturday before playing Guitar Hero with Ben's cousin. Yum! Ben's favorite way to eat Bagel Fair bagels: toasted everything bagel with peanut butter and sliced tomatoes, served sandwich-style. Do you have any bagel serving suggestions?