For the bakers here (if you don

[florisandy]

I’ve been obsessed doing research for the past few weeks to make New York water bagels.

“It’s all in the water” they say, and most importantly, Brooklyn, New York city water. I’m not kidding here and I just so happened to have that clarified by a woman who was buying bonafide restaurant supplies at a Sarasota restaurant supply store while on my lunch break while I bought a huge cooling rack and sheet pan. The clerk asked me what I was making, and then the woman overheard me and insisted “You can’t get good bagels down here! You need NYC water!” (i.e. soft water) I asked her what might be a good substitute, and she replied “Poland Springs.” So……. I contacted Poland Springs’ customer service via email and received this tonight:

Dear Ms. “Floriduck”,

Thank you for taking the time to contact Poland Spring® Brand Natural Spring Water regarding comparing our water to Zephyrhills® Brand Natural Spring Water. We welcome questions and comments from loyal consumers such as yourself and appreciate this opportunity to assist you.

Hardness is caused by compounds of calcium and magnesium, and by a variety of other metals. General guidelines for classification of waters are: 0 to 60 mg/L (milligrams per liter) as calcium carbonate is classified as soft; 61 to 120 mg/L as moderately hard; 121 to 180 mg/L as hard; and more than 180 mg/L as very hard.

Poland Spring Natural Spring Water contains between 8.7-24 mg/L of TDS (total dissolved solids). Therefore, we know that Poland Spring NSW can be classified, according to these general guidelines, as soft water.

Attached to this email we have provided the analysis for Zephyrhills water for your review.

We appreciate your interest in our products and hope you will visit our website www.polandspring.com often for the latest information on our products and promotions.

- - -

I know after doing my homework that one of the keys to making good New York water bagels is to use soft water. Seems that the ubiquitous Zephyrhills spring water here where I live in Florida is indeed soft! No luck in trying to find Poland Spring down here that I could get back in Philly/New Jersey.

See the link she sent to me.

For all of you bakers, see the interesting link at Image Link.

This has become an interesting science project for me and I have printed a LOT of material on making bagels the right way. If I only had time (been working seven days a week for almost two months…).

http://nestle-consumerservices.casupport.com/ewarzph.pdf

http://www.triangularwave.com/bakeryeffects.htm

 

[florisandy]

How to make soft water (most suitable for making bagels)

http://www.ehow.com/how_5010021_make-soft-water.html

 

[florisandy]

Why Is It So Hard To Get a Good Bagel Outside of New York City?

Yep, I'm going to boil them before baking. I also bought malt syrup at a local health food store down here. Oh yeah, I read that making bagels is easy, but yet it's complicated and may take me a few batches to get it right.

Will let you all know when I make the bagels.

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/explainer/2011/06/why_is_it_so_hard_to_get_a_good_bagel_outside_of_new_york_city.html

 

[angak1]

thanks Sandy. do you need volunteer bagel tasters?

 

[florisandy]

Why certainly! Ya know, I picked up some tips about freezing bagels...

It's recommended that you slice in half before freezing and those that are salted don't keep well the next day because the salt absorbs into them.

I had a real New York water bagel from a cafe/bakery at lunch last week and when I asked where it came from, the waitress said par-baked from New York and they finish them there (by baking in the cafe). The lady I talked to at the restaurant store said once you bake and freeze them, they are only good toasted. I should have remembered to tell her they freeze well if sliced in half but then, that's not always good for presentation if buying for take-out.

Hmmmm, shipping bagels to Alaska... How about I just email you one? Lol