Ok can everyone calm the hell down about slicing bagels?

[The Polack MSgt]

What is the objection? This is a genius option for meetings and group functions.

Order a dozen bagels for 20 people? Sure.

Less waste and leftovers? Yes

Snack on the amount of bagel you want rather a half or a whole bagel? Exactly.

Ideal cream cheese schmeer to bagel ratio? Damn right.

Also I would like to point out that Panera started life as the St Louis Bread Co. and their bagels are delicious. Bread sliced bagels is one of the most popular catering choices and it has been for years.

Of course the standard New Yorker's "anything here is better than EVERYTHING anywhere else" arrogance will forestall those guys from agreeing, but the rest of America can give it a try.

So head over to a Panera, try an asiago bagel (bread sliced) with plain cream cheese - You'll thank me

[Scoopster]

1. Bagel Chips

This is essentially how they're made. Just a little less crunchy.

[stonecutter357]

2. bagels and lox are the only way to eat a bagel !

[irisblue]

3. Cinnamon and Walnut Cream Cheese. Any type of cut.

[trotsky]

4. Bagels generally have 200-300 calories apiece.

Mostly refined carbs.

I have no problem with anyone cutting them any way they like. If I am at a meeting with bagels, I usually don't opt for any, because A) I don't want a whole one, B) I don't want to touch both halves if I'm cutting it in half, C) I might not even want an entire half, or D) I don't want a half that someone else touched!

Crazy non-controversy. Or hopefully people just having fun.

[forgotmylogin]

5. I'm in St. Louis, and I've *never* heard of this.

But yeah...people should calm their nipples at the idea someone might not want an entire 300 calorie, 50g carb slab of baked dough at once.

I agree our pizza might be an acquired taste, but I will not apologize for pork steaks, nor gooey butter cake, nor toasted ravioli.

[trotsky]

6. I'm in Minnesota, and the NY Times once claimed that the dish which most "evoked" my state...

was something I'd never heard of called "grape salad."

https://www.npr.org/2014/11/19/365194058/grape-salad-is-not-minnesotan-and-other-lessons-in-cultural-mapmaking

Somebody's just looking to sell clicks I guess.

[The Polack MSgt]

7. We get these for meetings pretty often,

because I live the office life and about 10 years ago all of the agencies on Scott AFB seemed to decide that donuts at meetings were unacceptable.

So St Louis Bread Co. bagels and cream cheese replaced 'em

Pork steaks, St Louis style ribs and gooey butter cakes were immediate hits with me when I got here 20 years ago.

I made the transition to Imo's slowly but I'm on board now. I still don't think of it as true Pizza, but it's a damn delicious hunk of food in it's own right.

[forgotmylogin]

8. Definitely! Imo's is not my immediate go-to.

Same as how pineapple and ham "Hawaiian" pizza is not usually I want as pizza, but it's an interesting variation on occasion.

Imo's/STL style not as filling as standard risen crust pizza. I read an article how someone got their mind around it when they thought of it more like nachos instead of pizza - which makes sense as it's in tiny squares of crunchy toppings and cheese on a flat cracker crust that's more of a snack like what you'd get as an hors d'oeuvre.

I have a friend who is from Italy, and when they make pizza at home it's actually closer to Imo's than Pizza Hut - very thin-rolled crunchy crust, thin painted-on sauce, cubed fresh mozzarella (they think Provel is an abomination, of course) and other cured-meat toppings besides pepperoni.

[Retrograde]

9. Standard bagels are too big for me

When I do buy them, my husband and I will split one - that's enough for one meal. Cutting them the "wrong" way seems easier - and probably reduces the chances of slicing through one's hand.