Early look: Chinese bagels (贝果)
Added 2024-05-08 05:30:55 +0000 UTCBit of a fun one this time. You see, one of the ‘trendiest’ baked goods in China these days is… the bagel. The popularity began ramping up during the COVID years, and as of late, they’ve firmly planted themselves in the Chinese bakery scene.
They’re stuffed. They’re technicolor. They’re… squishy.
In the past, among some expats circles in China, we’d dismissively refer to these as ‘Chagels’ (after all, if you’re from North America - and a little homesick - you’re not really in the market for a squishy bagel stuffed with shrimp, cheese, and broccoli). But over the years, as the bagel moved from niche to mainstream, I began to develop an appreciation for 'the chagel'.
They're delicious in their own right, and who can say no to a red braise pork stuffed bagel?
Comments
Bit late here but I think I like "Mexigel". Magel sounds like man-bagel in my head, lol maybe I need more sleep. Either way, I am all in - concha-bagel? with cinnamon.
Jennie Durren
2024-06-23 01:44:28 +0000 UTCYes! Exactly. I’ve been saying for years that for lobster, boiling is an option, for bagels it's a definition. Without boiling, what you've got is just a roll with a hole in it.
Moshe Feder
2024-05-22 09:08:47 +0000 UTCElote magels sound fantastic and could absolutely be sold in China haha
Stephanie Li and Chris Thomas
2024-05-08 06:29:24 +0000 UTCHa, was about to get back to you. Yeah boiling is pretty integral to bagel making - whether Japanese or Chinese, I think that's like the one common touchpoint. If it's not boiled, it's not a bagel (IMO).
Stephanie Li and Chris Thomas
2024-05-08 06:28:27 +0000 UTCHmmm. I'm in México, so I could make magels! Seafood, chicharrón, carne asada, pollo asada, carnitas; all good for savory versions - then piña, elote, and maybe mango for some sweet ones! Whatever you can make into a tamal would be excellent in a magel!
Brett Jones
2024-05-08 06:25:33 +0000 UTCAs a self-appointed bagel maven and dogged advocate for real lox against its impostor cousin smoked salmon, I don't know whether to be shocked or charmed. And I haven’t even watched the video yet! Do the folks in China know that real bagels have to be boiled before they are baked? [Added later—>] Yay! You did boil them! Excellent. Sad to say, some shoddy places here try to save time and trouble by just steaming them, which doesn’t work nearly as well. Until recently, the closest bagel bakery here in Flushing was Chinese owned and operated and they did a respectable job. I wish I could show them this video.
Moshe Feder
2024-05-08 05:53:11 +0000 UTC
