As we became accustomed to our stay at home orders, you may have noticed more people sharing information about what were cookin’ in quarantine. Folks were craving comfort foods - especially carbs in the way of pasta, sweets and breads. Foodie Facebook groups are still trading “where to find…” ingredients, recipes and techniques to procure and produce some beautiful and tasty treats. 

With having had more time at home, we researched and studied new crafts - puzzles, gardening, cooking and baking to name a few. Recipes are still exchanged and perfected with helpful tips resulting from extra time at home for trial and error. With each bread picture posted - one more beautiful than the next - it created an ingredient shortage. Getting the urge to make a loaf with no yeast to be found, had me searching for other leavening agents to make bread. Although the banana bread craze is shall we say “going bananas” by baking with the overripe fruit, for me it is the salty and not sweet bread calling me to “knead” a loaf. 

Many home bakers resorted to creating sourdough starters, but that too needs flour to feed its greedy soul. Like the days of yesteryear neighbors began leaving starters on doorsteps evoking memories of olden days and the Amish Friendship breads using shared starters. During this time, many are adapting to a “depression era” mentality of not throwing anything away and so many experimented with using “starter waste” to make pancakes and waffles instead of throwing out the extra starter before feeding it again. 

While flour had proven to be a tough commodity, yeast had proven to be an even more difficult “find” and is listed on Amazon for a hefty mark up. Since writing this piece my favorite culinary instructor at the Zwilling Cooking Studio, thoughtfully snail-mailed some golden granules. I will be testing out a loaf of no-knead bread to be baked in my cast iron Staub pot, but in the meantime, without yeast, and not loving the texture of the bread made with baking soda, I decided to try the now famous two ingredient bagels made only with yogurt and flour. The easy yogurt bagel craze started a few years ago buoyed by the popularity of the air fryer. Desiring the toothsome bite of a real bagel without using yeast or boiling the bagels was a challenge. A wanting for a bagel with the familiar shiny crisp crust had me thinking of pretzels, to simulate boiling the shaped dough before baking, we tried brushing them with baking soda dissolved in warm water. Low temperature steaming a bit prior to baking and presto - a crisp outer shell was formed. I share the perfected simple yogurt bagel recipe (with a little help from the pretzel) below. Note my math professor husband converted the measurements to use two full 5.3 ounce containers of non-fat yogurt not to waste anything, depression mentality officially kicking in. 

Who doesn't love a bagel? For the following two bagel makers their love of a great bagel encouraged them to start a small home business that is now “rising” with each order placed. I interviewed them both while in the midst of filling orders of delicious bagels.

For husband and wife Eric and Nicole Aleman of Stamford of Eric’s Bagels (above) fame, these past two months have increased their wholesale bagel business tenfold. Nicole discussed how the now 3-year old bagel business has evolved due to the demand during the pandemic. “Orders keep rolling in as shut-ins are craving the hand rolled bagels by the dozens.” They have had to adapt for the retail market all in order to quench the demand for delicious warm bagels - delivered to your door. Nicole spoke of her husband Eric’s passion for bagels and how it all started when he moved from his childhood neighborhood in Queens and could not find “true” old-school bagels in Connecticut. He longed for those dense, chewy, and smaller sized bagels he loved, so he tried his hand at making his own. In his search for the crisp outside yet soft and chewy on the inside (like a true bagel should be) he persevered through trial and error. Thankfully he has created some of the most celebrated bagels in upper Westchester, NY and Fairfield, CT. Nicole mentioned that it all began by following an online video hosted by bagel maven, Chef Mark Strausman, the author of The Freds at Barneys New York Cookbook. The taste is different from other bagels due to the lengthy eight hours of fermentation with no sugar added to the dough, and a special flour with a high gluten content. The traditional technique of boiling the hand rolled dough and an ice water bath to stop the process dates back to European traditions. Each bagel is hand formed the old fashioned way by joining the ends of the rope of dough.

She declared, “This is why they are not perfect but each one has its own personality after being baked on a cedar wood plank giving them a distinct flavor, almost a heartiness, along with a very pleasing aroma.” The entire process - start to finish takes 16 hours - thus the two-day preorder. Eric is a stickler for no shortcuts or compromises to his product and makes a fresh starter of yeast, flour and water for every small batch he mixes. He is bringing back the traditional handmade New York method one bagel at a time by keeping production small. Mini or regular size bagels can be ordered online at Eric’s Bagels - currently delivering to Norwalk, Stamford, Greenwich and now parts of upper Westchester including Bedford.  Pick up is available at Fjord Fish Market. Nicole and Eric feel “if you love what you do it will shine through” just like the exterior of their delightful bagels. 

Brittany Zavala-Quinones currently owns two medical services in Yonkers and Stamford, but she has shifted gears. She is excited that her Harrison home bagel business, Britt & Co. Bagels (above), is now booming. She “worked in a bagel store as a teen and knows that bagels are best hot out of the oven.” Starting with her love of cooking at the age of four, she has been perfecting her recipe for bagels for many years and they are less dense without that heavy feeling after you eat them. She loves to play with dough and along with her supportive husband Trevor, they have had to increase production during the last two months.

On the fly, they are changing their business plan to adapt to the growing demand. 150 pounds of flour usually lasts a month and now only a few days. Brittany mentioned that “first and foremost we are feeding the Frontline workers” which is being funded by donations and says, “it is important for them to have a special treat.” Brittany has been sending her creative flavors of bagels and bagel bombs to the first responders along with her hand written notes of thanks and encouragement – currently there is a waiting list of 60 weekly orders. She finds the process “fulfilling emotionally” and is grateful. A new addition to the business has been DIY bagel kits for $12.99 + shipping, with everything you need to make 8-12 bagels at home (depending on who is shaping them). It is a great project to do with your family no matter what age and can even be a math and science lesson for kids. Everything is meticulously labeled along with explicit instructions on how to make and bake. Many are sending the kits to family and friends. She is so passionate about her bagels that she has even done Zoom live instructions to those who have requested it. In their Harrison home, the Quinones have two young children and a working commercial kitchen. Not just traditional bagels but very creative flavor profiles (PB&J, Strawberry Banana, S’Mores) are offered utilizing special ingredients. Inquire about the secret menu for her stuffed bagels known as bagel bombs with specials like the BEC and Unicorn. Each are paired with a cream cheese-based special flavor dip. The business plan has been accelerated as Britt & Co. Bagels will be looking for a retail location soon and the website is under construction. She gushes that she is “very grateful as this is a longtime dream come true.” Information can be found on Facebook and Instagram and you can text or call in an order. Interviewing Brittany is exhilarating! In a time where so many in the food industry are trying to reinvent themselves, she has done just that.

Tips for trying your own bagels at home using the perfected yogurt bagel recipe below. 

-Use room temperature yogurt and strain all visible water for better results. 

-If you are looking for a great kitchen appliance a countertop combi-steam oven is very versatile but a pan of water in your regular oven works in much the same way. 

-Use egg wash and top each bagel with seeds of your liking before the second bake. 

-All instructions say to make a log and pull ends together in the traditional manor. Instead make 5 or 6 same size balls and stick your finger through the middle while twirling dough against a wood board in minimal flour, creating a ring without having to fight with pinched ends. 

As the months pass we will learn of the many byproducts caused by this worldwide affliction. It is nice to see a few “mom and pops” given a chance to succeed. Although they are being pushed to grow quickly in an otherwise difficult and daily changing climate they will “rise” to the occasion. FaceBook has shown so many renditions of homebound bakers’ loaves these past few weeks that you wonder if any will switch careers and begin a bread business of their own. 

Let’s focus on those positives. As they say “necessity is the mother of invention,” so watch us roll!  

Perfected Yogurt Bagel Recipe by Donna Monaco Olsen

Dough

2 - 5.3 ounce containers non-fat Greek yogurt (tested with Chiobani) room temperature

1 + 1/3 cup Self-rising Flour 

or 

1 + 1/3 cup All Purpose Flour, 2 + 1/3 teaspoons Baking Powder, and 1/3 teaspoon salt

Wash

1/3 cup warm water

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Topping

Seeds of choice

1 Beaten egg

Mix yogurt and flour and knead until smooth, 15 turns on floured board. Divide into 5-6 balls. Poke hole in ball and widen. Place on greased parchment paper or Silpat. Brush formed rings with baking soda dissolved in water. Bake bagels top rack at 200 degrees in steam oven (or place a pan of hot water on lower rack in oven) for five minutes. Remove water and raise temperature to 375 degrees. Brush bagels with egg and adorn with seeds of choice. Bake 20-25 minutes then raise temperature to 425 degrees for 5 minutes or until desired doneness. Freezes well. 

Place orders for delivery of delicious bagels or get a DIY kit and make some yourself.

Details: 

Eric’s Bagels

1230 Newfield Avenue

Stamford, CT 06902

203-808-9945, www.ericsbagels.com

Britt & Co. Bagels

Harrison, NY

On FaceBook and Instagram (website coming soon)

914-340-4338

brittandcobagels@gmail.com