New Angle On The Bagel?

As I wander my East Harlem neighborhood in search of a fresh bagel, there’s news today that I’m looking at the bagel from the wrong angle.

Certainly the bagel has evolved in the 30-some odd years that I’ve been tracking its whereabouts; it’s generally gotten bigger in size and the bagel’s rise in popularity is evident by all those clamoring to be close to it: the raisin, the chocolate chip; even the jalapeno pepper wants to get in on the bagel party.

But now, it seems, there’s a new bagel boiling and it’s causing quite the doughy uprising here in El Barrio (I’m uprising). A new line of square-shaped bagels has hit the market. Thomas' has launched a product they refer to as “Square Bagel Bread.”

I haven’t brought myself to try one, but I researched it and the squagel isn’t getting good reviews. One blogger wrote:

“It sucks on a level that goes above and beyond what I have come to expect from the bread-aisle bagel.”

The only new angle I’m taking away from the square bagel is that my old faithful – Lender's – isn’t looking nearly so bad...