Saturday Bagel Musings

Well, Callalilly are you a bagel fan as well??? Callalilly is a faithful reader who claims I am dangerous for her diet by describing my taste for pancakes and pastrami. Today, I am musing over a fresh onion bagel with some cream cheese. My favorite bagel combination (well besides lox, cream cheese, capers and red onion). Something a bit different.

1) Bagels I thought I would explore the world of these delightful baked treats. The most common origin story states that the bagel originated in the late 1600s when a Jewish baker created them as a gift for The King of Poland to commemorate a battle victory that year. The baked good was fashioned in the form of a stirrup to commemorate the victorious cavalry charge. That the name bagel originated from beugal (stirrup) is considered likely.

Did you know bagels are formed, then boiled first before baking? This gives them the chewy dense center and the baking provides the crisper crust. I like mine toasted lightly.

2) Stranded. I read this AM that thousands are stranded along I-70 here in MO due to the winter storm. The road was closed in a large section for hours and people have reportedly spent the cold night in their cars with no gasoline for heat. Many accidents along the hilly road compounded the problem of ice and drifting snow. We received some snow and ice here in KC, but it was easily dispatched and is now gone from the roads. Replaced by some bitter cold.

In my previous career, I was a road warrior, traveling 60-70,000 miles a year on the roads of Missouri and Kansas. I spread my Human Resources cheer to many a town large and small, navigating many of these roads. I thank my lucky stars that I am now in a nice comfy home based job and that I didn't even get out of the parking lot for a couple days as I did not have to.

I am sure if I still worked for Beverly Enterprises (RIP), I would have been one of the many stuck out there. It would not have been a pretty sight.

3) Powerless. I fear for the stock market on Monday. My sister has been without power from the aforementioned storm that raced into Illinois on Thursday. It maybe until Tuesday before she gets her power and TV back. Meanwhile shares of QVC and other home shopping networks will plummet from lack of her business.

And she can't toast her bagel. But she did heat a can of soup in the sterno powered fondue pot she had stored. Proof positive that you should never throw anything away, it may actually come in handy someday.