This past week I learned that the Midwest has some damn fine fields, babes, and bagels - but mostly fields.
GR Bagel, 423 Norwood Ave SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506
We started off our trip in Michigan, where I demanded to make a pit stop at GR Bagel in Grand Rapids. As soon as you walk into the shop, you’re greeted with a beautiful storefront featuring their kettle-boiled bagels at the center. What began as a small production and startup in 2013 is now a permanent addition to the Eastown neighborhood. Since then, they have expanded to selling bagels at wholesale and also offer coffee, scones, and sandwiches at their storefront location.
I went all out and ordered an egg sammy with bacon and avocado on an everything bagel. You cannot go wrong with an everything bagel - unless the toppings are falling off and are littered with seeds (definitely not an everything bagel, not sorry … I will fight this to the end). In this case, the bagel had the right toppings, size, and shape. In fact, the chewiness and sourdough flavor reminded me of bagels I’ve had at Bagelsaurus in Cambridge, MA. It was particularly nice because the flavor still stood out from the packed sandwich. The crust was crisp and covered in “fish eye” blisters. This indicates a proper boil and bake, which is a process the owners are very proud of.
The owners of GR Bagel argue that if your bagel is not boiled, it is NOT a true bagel. I was a bit shocked to learn that even small bagel shops often “steam inject” their bagels to speed up the process. I completely agree, mass produced bagels are devoid of character. It was exciting to discuss the bagel making process with folks who are incredibly passionate about such a highly skilled technique. They were thrilled to share their story and I hope to visit again soon!
Reno Chicago, 2607 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60647
While visiting Chicago, we dragged our bodies over to Reno Chicago after a night of exploring bars such as The Slippery Slope (also the name of my memoir) until 5 AM in Logan Square. My pals, Stephen and Erin of Encyclopizzeria, and I ordered bagel sammies. Reno Chicago is known for wood firing their bagels prior to serving, giving the bagels a slightly charred and smoky crust. It is clear that while their process is a hybrid of New York and Montreal style bagel making, they’ve created a unique bagel that is known to be the best in Chicago!
The Bagelers Coffeehouse, 2461 N Lincoln Ave, Chicago, IL 60614
The Bagelers Coffeehouse was our final stop in Chicago before a lengthy adventure through the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Millennium Park, and an obligatory stop at Punch House - which I think is the coolest bar I have ever been to, from what I remember. Bagelers produces very flavorful and sweet New York style bagels. The crumb was dense and chewy but held the egg sammy contents well. In fact, I think this was the best bagel sandwich I had on our trip because the bagel slices held the contents so well.
While visiting bagel shops across Massachusetts, New York, and Chicago this summer, I’ve discovered that many bagel-makers also began their businesses by slowly testing recipes and hustling from their very own kitchens. What starts off as experimenting with a new technique to bring back old traditional flavors soon becomes a major passion and obsession to perfect the practice. Maria Balinska, author of “The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread”, describes the bagel making process as “very much a bread thread that pulls through hard times, dreams, visions, organizational development, good luck, and good food.”
And I think, right now, I can take all of the good luck as I can get from what I’ve learned this summer - even if it’s in the form of feeling joy from sharing good bagels and creating something from scratch.
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