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| - Like every good Toronto Jewish family, there are disagreements about things. Especially bagels. Some say Kiva's, some say What-A-Bagel, and others even say Gryfe's for some reason. Maybe they spent too much time in Montreal or something. But the answer for me has always been Bagel World, and I don't see that changing any time soon.
It isn't just about the bagels here, no sir. It's also the experience. Parking in the ridiculously narrow parking lot without damaging anybody's vehicle (especially your own) kicks it off. Then on a Sunday morning you need to push your way past the throngs of people to get to the counter for your dose of flour-based crack. Not just any people, though, a mob of people who all want their bagels, and they want them now, dammit!
Once you finally get to the counter, it's time to get your dose. I like the twisters with sesame seeds, but there's about 15 or so kinds of bagel to get, in both twister and regular formats. Twisters hold more cream cheese and smoked salmon, so it's a given :-)
When fresh, these bagels are unlike any I've ever tasted elsewhere. Just crispy enoguh on the outside to be satisfying, but not enough to lacerate your mouth with shards of crust. The middle is perfectly chewy and tasty, fairly dense, but always moist. What more could you want? They even freeze well - take them out, microwave for a few seconds, then douse them in water and bake for 15 minutes in the toaster...thicker/crispier crust, but otherwise like new! I do this when I transport the best bagels ever back to California, since they think bagels are supposed to be light and fluffy here. Sheesh.
Oh...leave the bag of (warm) bagels in your car for 20 minutes in the sun and be greeted by the smell of heaven when you next open the door!
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