This is a bit of a long winded story, I did try to pare it back but it seemed disjointed and quite frankly rather dull. So I did want any sane person would do, I have gone back to my original version (thank goodness for the previous revisions button!) written a little bit more and made it into two posts. Part 2 coming tomorrow, but for now here for your reading please...or not..... is part 1 of my very verbose story about the perfect bagel and 'everything seasoning'.
We start a long, long, long time ago, back when I was still studying. I had a friend who worked at the Barbican Centre in London. She used to finished late on a Thursday, but instead of rushing home she would walk to the train station, get on a train, travel a few stops, get off the train, then walk for 10 minutes to buy a bagel, before doing the reverse journey so she could get another train home. It added an hour to her evening commute, but she did it every week and I didn't understand. Now don't get me wrong I love bagels. But I couldn't understand why she would go out of her way to get a bagel, that was until I tried one!
After much questioning and some ridiculing (what are friends for???!?!?!) she bought a bagel home for me. A plain bagel, topped with 'Everything Seasoning', which when toasted with butter was the best bagel I have ever eaten. It was perfect, soft, chewy and well just perfect. It was amazing and 20 years on it has never been equalled. AND I fell a little bit in love with 'Everything Seasoning' that day!
So if you are ever near Brick Lane then there is a bagel shop there that sells THE best bagels! It is open 24 hours and people queue on the street to get their bagels! They are the best bagels! Soft, chewy and scrumptious!
And it is full of such an amazing mix of people, a snap shot of real life all wrapped up in the perfect bagel with salt beef and pickle! Or plain, or toasted, or dipped in sweet mustard...or any other way you care to eat it.
Is there a wrong way to eat a bagel??????
If you have never heard of 'Everything Seasoning', then let me enlighten you. It is a wonderful mix that starts with a base of sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dried onion and garlic. After the day that will always be known as the 'great bagel discovery day', I searched everywhere for a jar of 'Everything Seasoning'. But I could never find it, and back then we still used to 'Ask Jeeves' if we wanted to know something. Jeeves never had an answer for me!
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Years went by, my cookery book collection grew, the internet stepped into my kitchen and recipes research became easier. And homemade 'Everything Seasoning' was introduced to my repertoire. After some failed combinations I fell upon a mix that I loved, I leave out the black pepper that my original best bagel ever had on it, but otherwise I think it is pretty similar to the now legendary bagel of 20 years ago!
You can use this everything seasoning on...wait for it....everything 😉 The possibilities are endless:
- Use it as a dry dip with some flat breads and good olive oil
- Sprinkle it over a poached egg
- Sprinkle it over a seared steak
- Mix it with some butter and add it to fresh popcorn
However you use it it is delicious. I like to add it to cream cheese and then spread it onto toast. Or a bagel....but more on that tomorrow 🙂
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Get the Recipe
Everything Seasoning - Perfect for your bagels and cream cheese
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 2 tablespoon poppy seeds
- 1 tablespoon onion flakes
- 2 teaspoon dried minced garlic (not garlic salt!)
- 1 teaspoons fennel seed or caraway seeds for a more subtle flavour
- 1½ teaspoon flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Combine everything together.
- Store in an airtight jar/container.
Nutrition is per serving
Ezme says
I actually know the bagel shop you are talking about!!!! Small world!!!!
They are the best bagels in the whole world!
Love this recipe, everything seasoning is the BEST!
Claire McEwen says
It really is a small world!
Aren't they just the best bagels!!
Tina Jui | The Worktop says
Everything seasoning is so good and I can't wait to add it on everything 🙂 I live in London now, and your post made me want to venture to brick lane to buy myself a bagel... haha!
Claire McEwen says
It is so good on everything....well maybe not ice cream! 😉
It really was the best bagel I ever had. If you don't fancy the trip to Brick Lane you could alway make your own 😀