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Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

georgehart.com

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Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#81

Post by arrrg »

scbrg wrote: post #70

Having grown up in a non bagel rich country, I've been puzzled ever since I first encountered them. What's the point of the weird shape? What's wrong with a square or even circular piece of bread without an inconvenient hole in the middle? For an outside viewer, it looks like someone went out of their way to create a shape that makes it as difficult to deal with as possible, and then mass psychosis took over and ever…

Not sure about bagels (could just be tradition), though, for example, the Brezen* shape achieves a contrast between crunchy and soft with its shape. Also makes it quite hard and impractical to spread stuff on it (which leads to some just cutting open the large soft part and spreading stuff there which is horrific and wrong), but it’s worth it.

Spreadability of stuff on something isn’t the only relevant factor.

* not a perfect photo, the difference between the thin and thick parts is a bit small, but it’s ok: https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Laugenbrezels#...

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#82

Post by supercucklchaim »

This thread pretty much sums up the state of the modern tech industry, we will be OK for another decade at least. I hope our future generations are as exemplary, too! ;)

Yes, we are well adjusted and have real priorities, just imagine how envious bagel-aficionados would be and what they would think if they knew what we look like. :(

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#83

Post by the_mitsuhiko »

arrrg wrote: post #81
scbrg wrote: post #70

Having grown up in a non bagel rich country, I've been puzzled ever since I first encountered them. What's the point of the weird shape? What's wrong with a square or even circular piece of bread without an inconvenient hole in the middle? For an outside viewer, it looks like someone went out of their way to create a shape that makes it as difficult to deal with as possible, and then mass psychosis took over and ever…

Not sure about bagels (could just be tradition), though, for example, the Brezen* shape achieves a contrast between crunchy and soft with its shape. Also makes it quite hard and impractical to spread stuff on it (which leads to some just cutting open the large soft part and spreading stuff there which is horrific and wrong), but it’s worth it. Spreadability of stuff on something isn’t the only relevant factor. * not…

So completely useless fact but "Bagel" comes via Yiddish "beigel" from "Beugel" which means "little horn" (similar etymology to "bend"). In Austria and Germany there are still bread products call "Beugel" and they look like a horn (https://images.ichkoche.at/data/image/variations/620x434/4/b...).

So I suppose the original form might not have been closed yet into a ring.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#84

Post by maxnoe »

nfkx120 wrote: post #28
sp332 wrote: post #3

His daughter, Vi Hart, has a video about how to solve the three utilities problem on a bagel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CruQylWSfoU

I could have legit named my daughter Vi? Fuck.

Maybe using is as short form of Viola will speak it by the other parent....

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#85

Post by thaumasiotes »

bigDinosaur wrote: post #77
scbrg wrote: post #76

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ah. That makes sense. Thanks for the answer :) Still, I eat plenty of bread that's non bagel shaped and fairly evenly baked. I guess I pay slightly more for the more difficult production process then, or have to suffer bread that's just not quite as perfectly uniform in texture as it could be. Well worth it, if you ask me, to not have to deal with the frustrating shape. Mileages vary, of course :)

I, too, kind of share your perspective, and indeed prefer the texture and structure of non-bagels to bagels. I just find them unnecessary and harder to put fun fillings inside them.

> and indeed prefer the texture and structure of non-bagels to bagels.

They're different textures. They are best suited to different things.

But if you want non-bagels in the shape of bagels, Costco's store-brand bagels are like that. I hate them so much. If I wanted regular bread, I'd buy regular bread.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#86

Post by thaumasiotes »

metafunctor wrote: post #65
na85 wrote: post #48

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to love cream cheese until I looked at the ingredients list. Buncha weird ass bean gums and stuff. No thanks. Now I use ricotta, or just butter.

Perhaps try a different brand. The one I usually get lists milk, cream, whey, salt, carob powder, citric acid, and culture. So fermented milk products plus a bit of things to make it more stable.

The "standard national (American) brand" is Philadelphia, and their ingredients are:

> pasteurized milk and cream, whey protein concentrate, whey, salt, carob bean gum, natamycin (a natural mold inhibitor), vitamin A palmitate, cheese culture.

https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/brands/philadelphia/product/...

We can summarize this as "a bunch of milk products, salt, vitamin A, an antifungal, and carob bean gum".

It seems pretty inoffensive. There is one (1) bean gum in there, but at this point I'd ask whether "carob bean gum" is different from "carob powder".

For example, quoting from wikipedia:

> Locust bean gum [another name for carob bean gum] occurs as a white to yellow-white powder.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locust_bean_gum

It appears to be the powdered endosperm of carob beans.

If this is bad, wait till you hear about chocolate. Or refried beans.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#87

Post by dtgriscom »

scbrg wrote: post #70

Having grown up in a non bagel rich country, I've been puzzled ever since I first encountered them. What's the point of the weird shape? What's wrong with a square or even circular piece of bread without an inconvenient hole in the middle? For an outside viewer, it looks like someone went out of their way to create a shape that makes it as difficult to deal with as possible, and then mass psychosis took over and ever…

A solid block of dough, heated rapidly (e.g. bagel in boiling water, or donut in hot oil) will still have an undercooked center once the outside is fully cooked. Adding the hole evens out the heat transfer.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#88

Post by dtgriscom »

bombcar wrote: post #54
phamilton wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This reminds me of a really interesting safety tip in the woodworking world: A chisel is always a two handed tool. Either two hands on the tool itself, or one hand on the chisel and another holding a mallet. Either way, the piece needs to be in a vice or otherwise rendered immobile. Every dumb thing I've done with a chisel has been trying to use it at an odd angle or stabilizing the piece with one hand and holding th…

Now I have the idea of a kitchen vice hmmmmm

A significant number of my vices are indulged in the kitchen.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#89

Post by dtgriscom »

sandworm101 wrote: post #43
jacobolus wrote: post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The link claims there are 2 thousand bagel injuries per year. (Out of 3 billion bagels eaten per year.) People should be careful with knives, but this is not the most serious risk modern people face. Living near cars is like 3+ orders of magnitude more dangerous.

2000 that result in an ER visit. No doubt the vast majority do not require such attention. Few injuries involving cars go unreported.

Then there are the bagel injuries so serious they go straight to the morgue. The bagel and news industries conspire to hide these from public view.

Re: Mathematically correct breakfast: How to slice a bagel into two linked halves (2009)

#90

Post by Broken_Hippo »

scbrg wrote: post #76
gjvc wrote: post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

the uniform shape helps ensure even heat transfer for when they are cooked in boiling water (to which is added baking soda), and baked evenly in an oven. (in case you are wondering why they are boiled, it's to develop a chewy crust)

Ah. That makes sense. Thanks for the answer :) Still, I eat plenty of bread that's non bagel shaped and fairly evenly baked. I guess I pay slightly more for the more difficult production process then, or have to suffer bread that's just not quite as perfectly uniform in texture as it could be. Well worth it, if you ask me, to not have to deal with the frustrating shape. Mileages vary, of course :)

I eat plenty of bread that's non bagel shaped and fairly evenly baked.

So do people that eat bagels. I'm going to guess that you consider rolls and a slice of bread different bread, though. The sheer amount of the 'crust' on a bread roll contributes significantly to the taste and texture of a roll. Similarly, the sheer amount of "inside bread" on a slice affects its texture and taste. And of course, they affect how they cook.

Same thing with a bagel. A good bagel has a fairly chewy outside and a somewhat dense interior. Changing the ratio of these two affects taste. Heck, you even notice it if you eat different sizes of bagel.

I'll also note that the shape isn't often all that frustrating, at least to me. Half of the bagels I've eaten have very little hole in the middle and they hold sandwich fillings pretty well.

Edit: I might be a little nostalgic, though: I moved to a place with few bagels indeed and I kind of miss them.

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