To think it's impossible to get a decent bagel or American muffin in this country?

[rollonretirementfgs]

Supermarket bagels are crap, the ones in the polythene bags. M&S did nice fresh ones but stopped selling them. American muffins... massive light fluffy muffins, as big as your head. Had one in France recently from Columbus coffee.... rubbish over here! Please enlighten me on any hidden gems.

Many thanks,

Desperate for carbs

I'd love to know what "American bagels" are assumed to be in the UK.

I live in the US, and can buy umpteen different qualities of bagel, from the dire "Thomas's" supermarket brand to bagels of many flavours baked in the bakeries of individual supermarkets, to bagels from different independent bakeries around town which are the descendants of original bagels and bialys that Ashkenazi Jewish immigrants brought with them to the New World, and also from newer Jewish delis all over the city. There are also chain bakeries that sell bagels.

You need to get yourself to north-west London - bagel country - for proper bagels. Hendon or Edgware, ideally.

I make my own bagels... I'd rather buy them though. No Jewish bakeries near me unfortunately, but I'm not far from London so will give brick lane a try next time I'm there.

Those of you turning your nose up at muffins the size of your head... I wasn't being literal, just saying that the ones I like are usually big and have a different texture to the ones over here. I've made many a muffin in my time, I'm a very keen cook, but nothing seems to come close. I don't know what they do to them but the texture, in my opinion, is superior. Sorry to those who I have clearly offended by suggesting my preference for large muffins!

That’s pretty well known

I haven’t had one for ages though

Gail’s have nice muffins. I love the blueberry one 😋

What's Gail's?

If you're a good cook but can't make a muffin that has the same texture, they have probably added in some industrial weirdness into it. Muffin Break have giant muffins.

Costco? There muffins are huge and bagels distinctive

How does a proper American muffin differ from what you can buy in the UK?

For bagels in London - Daniel's in Finchley, or Karma Bread in Hampstead (they also do Deliveroo). I tend to buy loads, cut them in half and freeze them, they toast really well directly from the freezer.

Muffins - best to make them yourself, much better fresh and pretty easy to make.

Moishes do amazing bagels. Also lovely chocolate Babka.

Sorry to taunt you OP but we were in NYC last month and we had bagels and coffee every morning for breakfast. The place we went to had a menu as long as your arm wirh different spreads and types of bagels.

Hilarious thread where an American criticises cuisine of other countries 🤣

Food is about comfort and home and family. It's not just snobbiness about cuisine.

Added to which, American food can be incredibly good. High quality and delicious, depending on where you eat it. If all you had was Iceland and Greggs, you'd think English food was shit. There are 200 Michelin starred restaurants in the States. Can't all be shit.

A chain of bakeries. https://gailsbread.co.uk/

I am sure there are and indeed have been to a couple of nice ones in NYC.

However more generally every has "cheese" chucked on it and it not that great but just super sized so it was merely a light heated poke at the irony of one of the countries known for very unhealthy and not great food complaining about here

"What's Gail!s?" 😹

• Roni's bagel bakery, small chain, NW
• Panzer's as mentioned upthread
• Selfridges salt beef bar
• Daniel's in Temple Fortune
• Reuben's reopening soon in Baker Street
• Freddie's near the Royal Free (www.freddiesdeli.co.uk)

Erm... I'd never eaten a bagel before I met DH, I'm not a great fan

For bagels, go to any bakery in North London.

Sounds lush.... I need to get to NYC!!

Who is American??

Who is this imaginary American you are all trying to slag off??

What’s an American muffin? Are they sweet muffins?

For bagels, you need a kosher bakery.

The Bagel Bakery in Golders Green

Jewish deli for bagels. Delicious muffins are VERY easy to make if you can't find a store bought one you like. Here's a classic: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/2868-jordan-marshs-blueberry-muffins?smid=ck-recipe-android-share

its Bakewell pudding, not tart. Completely different texture to commercial BTs and no icing or glacé cherry