Just because the package says it’s a bagel and even though it kind of looks like a bagel doesn’t mean it’s going to taste like an authentic New England bagel that you may remember from your childhood or visit to the Big Apple. But hey! This is Alaska so really get on with making your fishing lures and tell that little voice in your head to “Shut up!” But wait what’s that you say? Now right here in Kenai there are a variety of fresh Paula Bute approved bagels that can be delivered to my door any morning? I’m so glad I picked up this copy of the Dispatch, I mean Paula is a New York born Alaskan who really knows what a bagel is supposed to be. And she told the Dispatch “You need to try these hand-made, baked fresh daily bagels!”

Everything Bagels is the creation of Pamela and Matthew Parker. Pamela is also the director of Kenai Young Professionals who launched the new business just a few months ago. “My husband and I really wanted a bagel one day and noticed there was no place in town to get one except in the grocery store and being from the east coast those just didn’t cut what we knew to be a bagel so we said hey let’s start a bagel business. Now we had only eaten bagels and knew what they should taste like, but had never made one before but after we did we realized we were really good at this and the bagels were delicious so we started the Everything Bagel business,” Pamela told the Dispatch. “We did a lot of research before we started to be sure we were making true to tradition bagels and believing that there are no short cuts to creating a fantastic product, we never deviated from our artisan recipe for making bagels, and only use the freshest, highest quality ingredients. This commitment to delicious products is reflected throughout our entire bagel making process, as each bagel is hand rolled, boiled, and baked fresh daily,” she said.

According to Pamela it’s a 24 hour process from start to finish, “On day one we start what is called the sponge which has to rest for two hours for all the ingredients to get acquainted before we start the final dough which then rests in the fridge overnight. The next morning the morning is when they are taken from dough balls and turned into bagels which have to rest again before being boiled and baked, ready to go with your favorite Kenai River salmon locks or cream cheese,” she said. Additionally Everything Bagels is now delivering bagels every morning anywhere in the Kenai, Nikiski, Soldotna area and you can order by going to their website www.everythingbagelsak.com or call 48 hours in advance at 907-252-8135 and get ready to savor the crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside combination that you only get from hand-made bagels. “We offer the following flavors: plain, everything, poppy seed, sesame seed, onion garlic, cinnamon raisin, cheddar bacon, rosemary garlic, blueberry, and chocolate chip.”