Quote:
Originally Posted by madwilliamflint
I promise you that's not true. I spent years getting my bagels down and learned a couple very important pieces of procedure that are simply in no recipe I've ever seen (even a couple not in the above recipe, which is as close as I've ever seen), but had been independently confirmed at bagel shops in Brooklyn.
It was in fact, such a PITA to get them down that when people ask me the secret I wave it off and say "it's the water."
I'm convinced this is why that piece of mythology exists. Same thing with pizza. It's easy to tell people and makes the tourists go away.
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As an amateur pizza maker who has been refining my technique at home (while talking to experts face to face and through e-mail/forums) for over 6 years, I would agree with you on this one.
These weren't "perfect" Bagels, but they were damn good and a whole lot better than the crap I can get down here in Central Texas.
And Reinhart is a good resource for anything bread related, but like most people who are still perfecting their craft, he's also still learning and may not always have everything exactly right.
That's the thing with following a craft you love... you never actually perfect it. It's the journey that brings the enjoyment.