Bread: Issue 1, Spring 2011 (Taste Test)

The Taste Test

Each issue the hungry people at CCHQ will taste a product relevant to the theme. This season we ran around London picking up Bagels as we hopped from underground to overground and back again to bring you our thoughts on the bagels we found.

On the tasting panel this time is our resident wine expert Laura Atherton, our poet Jayne Edwards, our history columnist Richard Kiess and editor Miriam Nice.

Nobody on the panel knew which bagel was which and each was sampled plain and then toasted and topped with cream cheese.

1)     The Happening Bagel Bakery,

Finsbury Park, N4 2AA

★★★

“Slight Sweetness” “bit heavy”

2)     Mr Bagel,

Dalston, E8 2NP

★★★

“Fluffy” “Good for toasting”

3)     The Bagel House,

Stoke Newington, N16 7PL

★★

“Tough”

4)     The Whole Foods Market

Stoke Newington, N16 0LU

★★★

“Not crusty enough, but good flavours”

5)     Selfridges & Co.

Oxford Street, W1A 1AB

★★★

“It’s bread, not bagel, not happy”

6)     Harrods,

Knightsbridge, SW1X 7XL

★

“It’s like a cloud, not in a good way”

7)     Brick Lane Beigel Bakery,

Brick Lane, E1 6SB

★★★★★

“Very tasty” “My favourite, it’s sweet, it’s sticky but not hefty” “Delicious and excellent value”