Dear real breakfast food,

I missed you too.

Where I live, there is a bagel shop like no other. For years, people told me that I could find better bagels in somewhere like New York or Philly or Jersey or Washington D.C.. But after trying bagels from all over the county, I can say with confidence that these bagels are the BEST. Of course, I’ll never pass over a good bagel, but I think it’s safe to say that I’ll never find a bagel better than that of “I Love Bagels.” (Yes, that’s the name of the shop.)

The shop opens at the crack of dawn every morning and serves everything from standards like plain bagels and bagel sandwiches to gourmet flavors like spinach-parmesan (the one pictured), french toast, and even pumpkin during the fall months.

Most people tend to order one or two bagels with cream cheese or a bagel sandwich, but my family has always opted to get a “Bakers’ Dozen”—13 bagels in a big, crinkly white bag. Perfect for satisfying your fickle bagel consumers like me who want a bite of every flavor. Perfect for freezing for weekday breakfasts. Perfect for making your own gourmet bagel creation.

Kinda like this one. Here comes the sun doo doo doo doo…and I say, it’s alright!

Simply Perfect Egg & Cheese Bagel Sandwich

I feel almost silly calling this a “recipe,” but I’m typing it out just incase some people have never ventured into the world of sandwichin’ glory. Dress this up with fancy cheese, mushrooms/onions, or perhaps even bacon if that’s your style. Or just eat a simple sunny morning meal, and call it a day. Either way, you’ll be in heaven.

You’re gonna need:

1 bagel (if you’re in Southern California, only I Love Bagels will do), sliced in half

1 egg

1 thin slice cheese (or ~2 tbsp shredded cheese or cheese spread)

butter/margarine (optional)

salt & pepper

Directions:

1) Cut bagel in half through the middle to create two circular halves.

2) (Very) Lightly spread halves with butter/margarine, and lay cheese slices/shreds on top. Place in toaster over for about 2 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, heat a small frying pan, and cook egg (I did mine over-easy). Remove bagel from oven and egg from pan. Place egg on top of bagel + melted cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Tip: After going to the bagel shop, we freeze all the leftovers instead of leaving them out on the counter or in the fridge. This keeps them fresh longer. When you want the bagel, defrost in the microwave for about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Presto! Good as new Open-mouthed smile