The Chef’s Test

vote for your favorite bagel flavor

I have heard that, when a chef is applying for a chef-type job, it is common to first test them on something very common and simple, like making a scrambled egg, because, with no screens of seasoning and garnish to hide behind, making something simple taste amazing requires the most skill. If you can scramble a perfect egg, the theory goes, you understand the basic principles of cheffing. In the context of Belington Bakery, this role falls on the Plain Bagel.

When I was pulling together the concept for Belington Bakery, there in the late fall of 2023, I wasn’t even going to make Plain Bagels. Brenden, a friend and friend of the shop, looked over my plan and said, “I feel like you have to have Plain Bagels too.” Well that one statement quickly dispersed a thick shroud of creativity that had been clouding my vision, and returned me to the solid, practical earth because of course he was right. I’d been caught up in all the glitz and fun of dreaming up exciting flavors, and neglecting the obvious option right in front of my face.

While our monthly flavors drive interest, meet individual preferences, and allow space for variation within a small production space, that Plain Bagel and our classic Croissant are our biggest sellers week in and week out. We don’t talk about them much; there’s not much new to say about them because they are just always there, every week, every day. We will suggest them to a new customer who is overwhelmed by choices, or an older customer concerned about the bagel being tough to chew. We mostly appreciate them quietly, the way we love and appreciate our mothers. And so, today is Mother’s Day for the Plain Bagel and we’re taking a moment to shine a light on these basic and beautiful parts of the bakery spread!

Often, I find myself grabbing a plain bagel when I’m on my way out of the shop to run errands or do Other Work and so I scamper out to my car, probably running late already, an unadorned bagel hooked on my pinky finger, hands otherwise full of to-do lists, hopefully my keys, and daily clutter. And as I pull out of the Golden Rule lot, scattering crumbs and cornmeal on my lap while I munch that plain bagel, I usually find myself saying out loud, “Dang! But this is really good!”

When you eat one just plain, unadorned, without other add-ins or spreads getting in the way, you can taste the full flavor of the dough — those flavors developed overnight during a 12+ hour cold proofing process, they are the byproduct of high-quality wheat flour, fully hydrated, fermenting slowly with a small set of basic ingredients. The simple but nuanced flavor of this dough is the basis for all our other bagel flavors and those sandwiches and scrambles. While they make a great palette for a towering Turkey Club or tangy Italian sandwich, one of these times, for nothing more than your pocket change try just a single, simple Plain Bagel, unadorned. See if we pass the bakery version of the Chef’s Test.

OK enough on that. THIS WEEKEND!

Group Ride on Saturday, 9am — Donna is leading a 12.5 mile ride with moderate hills (def not flat, but def no mountains) at a conversational pace. Meet up at the Bakery at 8:45, ride at 9.

We have a fresh batch of our Popped Amaranth Corks, this time cut into cubes and packed into handy grab ’n go bags. These guys have the barest amount of processed sugar in them (little bit of chocolate chips), no dairy, no gluten, and lots of nutrition. We pop our own amaranth and that forms the base of these nuggets along with dates, pecans, and peanut butter. Snag a bag to keep in your glove box for nutritional emergencies on a busy day.

Soup is the ever-popular Loaded Baked Potato (v/gf) ask for cheese on top if you want it.

The basement museum will be open for extended hours for the holiday weekend. Explore the piston that powered the old water elevator, and explore the collection of toasters and china dishes from the Golden Rule Department Store. Museum is open all bakery hours, or by special appoint if you contact Robyn at americorps@woodlandswv.org .

Enjoy your day!

Katie, Jeanne, and the crew