A short history of the bagel

1) They're not baked long enough. The ultimate bagel is soft on the inside with a firm crisp on the outside - sort of like a French baguette but doughier inside. The only way to correct it is to freeze any bagel you buy (unless you're in NYC), then stick it in the toaster oven prior to eating for ten minutes. That will crisp the outside while keeping the innards soft and lovable.

2) They're too big. The early 20th c. bagels were about half the size - about the size of a hockey puck. The full bagel today is a meal by itself. Then when you add the schmear and lox you're into dinner territory. But eating half a bagel isn't an option...

If you're a bagel connoisseur, this article is also good:

Was Life Better When Bagels Were Smaller? http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9A07E1D7103EF...

How long before this becomes the fuel for another "HN has off-topic articles!" rant? ;)