The Hole Bunch Every bagel at Bagelfeld’s, decoded. BY ALLISON YOUNG “I wish I could find a good bagel” has long been a Phoenix battle cry. Bagelf- eld’s is here to change that. Started by Charles Blonkenfeld during the pandemic, the chef piv- oted from private caterer to hey- why-don’t-I-try-bagels back in August 2020 and they’ve g the pandemic er to hey spread like ... well, Bagelfeld’s spreads (yes, he makes those too), becoming a word-of-mouth and farm- ers’ market phenomenon with a brick-and-mortar opening soon. agelfeld’ Bagelfeld fans are die- hard. They line up at the uptown and downtown farmers’ markets, easily going through 1,500-plus bagels on a Saturday. They include East Coast transplants, who’ve been craving a taste of home, and local chefs alike. Stoop Kid owner Steve McMillen book- ends his famous Mends his famous Money Shot egg sandwich with a Bagelfeld’s asiago, while Ollie Vaughn’s owner Lindsey Ma- gee serves up their everything bagel with herbed cream cheese, smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, thin-sliced red onion, and capers at her Coronado café. “I think serving Bagelfeld’s in such a traditional way really highlights the art- istry of this local baker,” says Magee. Chris Nelson, founder of Nelson’s Meat + Fish, takes pride in being the first in town to feature what he lovingly refers to as “Charlie’s bagels.” “One of our regular guests introduced us when he was still making them out of his home. He came in, I tried them and the rest, as they say, is history,” says Nelson, who serves his NMF Bagelfeld Sandwich on everything and sea salt bagels only on Saturdays from 10:30 a.m. until they sell out – and sell out he does. The ingredients aren’t magical – high- gluten flour, salt, yeast, malt, honey, water – but the process is. Apparently it takes three days, starting with hand rolling, proofing, boiling in honeyed water, and baking, before they turn into the totally- chewy-yet-tender circular creations, all golden and glossy on the outside, and soft in the middle. And then there’s Blonken- feld, a Brooklyn-born, Phoenix-bred, self- taught baker who had nothing, and everything, to lose. Bagelfeld’s bagel menu is eight strong, ranging from traditional plain to fancy fen- nel and raisin. All can be eaten standalone for instant carby comfort, no toasting re- quired, but they also make great vehicles for luscious smears and layered sammies. Here’s a bagel-by-bagel breakdown: Plain Talk about blank-slate perfection, you re- ally get to see the glossy fin- ish and taste the fluffy insides with this OG. Poppy Seed You will get poppy seeds in your teeth and they will be so worth it. Top this one with a fluffy spread like Bagelfeld’s lemon and herb.The crunch of the seeds offsets the creamy texture. Jalapeno Cheddar The whole top is covered in salty, crunchy cheddar goodness – or is it the bottom? Doesn’t matter, it’s dang good and adds a s no welcome coating. There’s no shame in slapping even more cheese be- tween two toasted ba- gel ted ba- halves and making it a full-on cheese party. Another Toast and top with but- ter or serve it breakfast sandwich-style with crispy bacon, melted cheese, avocado, and scrambled eggs, and let the insides sing. Salt Studded with thick, flaky crystals, this is a bagel with bling. The perfect vehicle for savory sandwiches, slap some cheese and pepperoni, or go big with a stacked turkey, tomato, lettuce, and mayo. The salt brings it all together. Everything The everything is everything you hoped for, a billowy bagel covered in a salty, seedy, gar- licky frenzy. Take a cue from Chris Nelson’s wife and toast them lightly, then melt a lib- eral amount of Kerrygold butter on top. Sesame Even if you lose a few seeds, this baby is smothered in so many sesames on the top, bottom, and sides, you won’t miss them. The nutty flavor plays perfectly with peanut or almond butter or topped with tuna. fan favorite: Bagelfeld’s spicy pepper, and garlic spread. Asiago At first glance you wouldn’t even know this one was harboring cheese; it keeps it under wraps until you sink your teeth in. Go Stoop Kid-style and turn it into an eggy sandwich stacked with all your breakfast faves. Fennel and Raisin Once you go raisin-and-fennel, forget about it. Golden raisins trump traditional black raisins for flavor and juiciness, and the fennel adds a sweet licorice-like spice. Top it with Nutella, Bagelfeld’s honey brown butter spread, or a touch of honey. Find Bagelfeld’s at the Uptown Farmers Market, Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market, on the menus of Stoop Kid, Ollie Vaughn’s and Nelson’s Meat + Fish, or or- der online at Bagelfeld’s. Good news: Bagelfeld’s is currently working to open its first storefront at 30th Street and Thomas Road. No official open date has been announced. 31 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES DEC 9TH– DEC 15TH, 2021 A lli s o n Y o u n g
