I thought of putting this in the Pit, but I’ve never eaten at Così so I can’t snap on their food. So into MPSIMS with it.
I come into work this morning and see a box of what appear to be bagels, courtesy of our boss, and awaiting the tender ministrations of us good employees. “Yeah,” I think, “a lotta cream cheese slathered on that will be just dandy.”
So I pick one up… and it’s square. And it bears all the markings of having been baked, not boiled.
“This,” I think, “is very, very wrong.”
Now, I’m not Jewish - I’m about as goy as they make 'em back in Europe. But I absolutely love Jewish cuisine - at Georgetown I couldn’t wait for Passover so I could scam gefilte fisch by the pound off of the buffet table. When I’d go to New York once a year for a regional Socialist conference at Columbia, I spent time scouting out all the kosher delis within a five block radius to find who made the best salt bagels and whitefish salad. Or a garlic bagel with extra lox. I may not be an expert, but I know what makes a good bagel, dammit.
I know there was a debate much, much earlier here on the SDMB as to what makes a real bagel - focusing mainly on ingredients. I think, however, that no matter what side of the debate we’re on as regards blueberries or asiago cheese, all true bagel lovers here on the SDMB will roundly condemn Così and the Squagel (band name!), which is apparently what they call it, as the travesty that it truly is.
Fie upon thee, Così! A pox! Anathema! May your name never be spoken again here within the Boards!
