Don’t tell my Rabbi…
I’ve been working in the catering industry for many years, which means that I’m used to eating randomly throughout the day rather than sitting down for a meal during a timed lunch break. Why? Whether you’re a chef, waiter, or a dish washer, if the restaurant or cafe is busy, you can’t just sit out the back, throw your hands up and say ‘not my problem’ while chowing down on your reuben. You’ve got to ensure that the kitchen or front-of-house are operating smoothly and that patrons are getting their orders. Unfortunately, if that means being yanked back into action mid-bite, you just have to bite your tongue instead.
This is a sacrifice that I had to make time and time again. And I endured it because I liked the work. But it did mean compromising on my religious values from time to time, as the most convenient food available to me was often the ‘wrong’ food.
Don’t tell my rabbi, but I’ve been known to indulge in the meat of a pig on the not-so-rare occasion. In between flipping and frying, I would put together a simple snack to get me through my shift without keeling over. As all kitchens - apart from the vegan kind - are fully stocked with bread, cheese and bacon, my go-to snack was a cheese and bacon toastie. It wasn’t very Jewish of me, but alas, I had a stomach that needed filling up, and my tired cheffing mind was apparently unable to pull together something kosher in the little time that I had away from the stove.
The carbs, fat and protein were just what I needed to summon whatever wits I had left to get me through to the day’s end. It was a practical (and tasty) snack that encompassed an era spent in a working kitchen making things other than bagels. Therefore, I decided to celebrate this memory by making a bagel out of it, of course.
November’s Bagel of the Month is an ‘ode to the hungry chef’. It’s a bacon infused bagel, complete with bacon in the dough, and of course topped with cheese and bacon. It’s a meal in itself, with everything you need and love in one hand-sized bake - but I know some of you will want to chop it in half and add bacon inside, and that’s your prerogative.
Aside from the Bagel of the Month, I also have some other news. Remember, our Chrismukkah shop is open right now, with plenty of goodies that you can order early in time for Christmas and Hanukkah. Choose from festive bagel boxes, our bestselling cheesecake in a tub, and more! We’re also offering subscription boxes and gift cards this year - perfect for Secret Santas, or those distant family members that you only ever see once a year.
That brings me to my third piece of news: due to the fact that we’re focusing heavily on making our Chrismukkah shop the biggest and best that it can be, we will be moving all of our door-to-door deliveries to courier delivery just for the month of November. You’ll find this option at the checkout when placing your order. It’s just as secure and efficient - we like to make sure of that!
Visit the shop page to get your Bagel of the Month (there’s also a vegan version) and browse our Chrismukkah shop!
Please note: this is an archived post so the festive bagel boxes are not currently available, but check back next Chrismukkah! And in the meantime, why not sign up to our newsletter below? Then you’ll never miss out on the limited edition goodies.