Product: Sweet Note Gluten Free Poppy Bagels – $7.25
They’re back!! Not just bagels my friend. And not just those crazy poppy seeds that get everywhere, screw up drug tests (or so I’ve heard), and make everything taste amazing. Nope. I’m talking Sweet Note Bagels! If you missed out on my initial fawning over this brand of gluten-free bagel…then you’ve missed out. So it up and pay attention! And if you remember it all too well, welcome back…because they hit another one out of the endzone…or something!
You see, a long time ago in a Twitter-verse far, far away, I posted a blog regarding the Canyon Bakehouse Gluten Free Bagels that I had actually found in my area. Much praise and accolades were given. And then…a highly efficient PR person for another gluten-free bagel company replied to my tweet and told me that if I enjoyed Canyon Bakehouse…then I would love what they were serving up.
I was skeptical, naturally…but found myself clicking on the link to go to their Web site. And lo and behold…a virtual gluten-free bagel bakery awaited my every bagel desire. Well…maybe not every desire…but they had quite the variety. And what was even more important, especially to this former New Yorker and bagel-enthusiast, they were New York style! And yes…New York does have a style for bagels. Smaller and more dense. For such a big and bustling city, you wouldn’t think small and dense would sup up the bagel style. But it does…beautifully.
So, Sweet Note Bagels started in 2012, when founder and president, Michelle MacDonald, stepped up to a challenge. She had been baking ever since she was a child and was very passionate about it. When her grandfather and sister were diagnosed with Celiac Disease, she took the first steps on her entrepreneurial journey. Her family really missed a good New York Style bagel. (Hey…I can’t blame them…I know this feeling all too well). So with a lot of experimentation and trial and error, MacDonald perfected the recipe, getting huge approval from her family (also bagel lovers). Gluten-free bagels that taste good?! It was a reality. Sweet Note Bakery’s vision is to make gluten-free options more readily accessible. Those of us who live with Celiac understand how isolating this disease can be, when you can’t have a meal while out with friends and family, be it at a restaurant or a ballpark, or wherever your adventures take you. MacDonald wanted to change that…one gluten-free bagel at a time.
And, as you know, I have already sung the praises of the Plain, Everything, Cinnamon Raisin, and Chocolate Swirl. Which means…Poppy and Sesame are all that remains. I’d been meaning to place an order with Sweet Note Bakery…but life’s been a bit hectic as of late. It kept slipping my mind, although in the mornings I’d be all “I wish I had bagels.” So, one would think I would take drastic action. But, alas…craziness.
But then I finally made the trip up to Columbus, Ohio, to visit my friend Jenn for a weekend. And, one of my favorite stops to make (and one reason I travel with a cooler) is at The Raisin Rack. It’s a great natural food store with a gluten-free section that blows my mind. And, as I was meandering down the aisle…what should I see in the freezer…but Sweet Note Bagels – Poppy and Sesame variety. The two that I hadn’t tried yet. It was an omen. It was a sign. Yes…both flavors were in my basket, in my shopping bag, in my cooler, and then in my freezer.
And last Monday, I busted out the Sweet Note Gluten Free Poppy Bagels for breakfast. Per the instructions on the packaging, do not thaw these bagels on the counter. Just don’t. Obey the bagel goddesses who are in charge of these fantastic bagel-y treats. They say nuke each one for 60 seconds, until they are soft. Allow to cool slightly (or don’t)…and then slice in half. Toast…in a toaster or, if you’re like me and don’t own a toaster, in the oven at 350°F for about…10 minutes. This gave me time to toss them in the oven and then toss myself into the shower (Hey, Monday morning is spin class…and I had an office I didn’t want to offend with my workout funk!)…and upon my return, I pulled them out of the oven. And they were perfect. I mean…golden brown perfect. Each half got a liberal schmear of the vegan cream cheese that is in my fridge and then my roommate and I dug into the Poppy variety.
DUDE! YUM! The packaging says…“For flavor that POPS…” like Poppy Seeds…get it? HAHA! Well, the fact of the matter is, those little black seeds really are a powerhouse for flavor. And what’s more is that Sweet Note Bakery knows how to properly coat a bagel, prep a bagel, and put out a good quality bagel. Sure, some seeds fleck off, but that’s what happens. That’s life. You simply wet a fingertip and pluck them up, or turn your cream cheese side down and dab at them. It’s all good. The bagel itself…a nice crisp on the outside with that soft, chewy center. It’s amazing what a good bagel can do to start your day off right. And the Sweet Note Gluten Free Poppy Bagel is not a good bagel…it’s a damn good bagel. It’s a happy bagel. A poppin’ fresh bagel. It’s an everything is going to be okay bagel. The poppy seeds bring this nutty flavor and aroma to the toasted bagel. The bread itself is perfection…no airpockets of “WTF WHERE IS MY PRODUCT?” that can happen with gluten-free bread products. It’s…love in a bag. Every flavor I’ve tried has been outstanding. And this one just got added to the list.
So…let’s talk about what goes into the Sweet Note Gluten Free Poppy Bagels, shall we? These bagels are made from LOVE (Yes, that is on the ingredient list), water, white rice flour, tapioca flour, sweet white rice flour, sorghum flour, sugar, cane syrup, olive oil, molasses, yeast, xanthan gum, psyllium husk, poppy seeds, and salt. These bagels are gluten-free, soy-free, dairy-free, non-GMO, egg-free, peanut & tree nut-free, and cholesterol free. LOVE IT!! Vegan and gluten-free…yes, please. More of these! Like for life. Just keep them coming!
Now, let’s look at the nutritional information. A serving size is one (1) of the Sweet Note Gluten Free Poppy Bagels. This bagel will provide you with 310 calories, 5 grams of fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 0 grams trans fat, 22 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 62 grams carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugars, and 5 grams of protein. Yes…these bagels are filling, and that’s what I love about them. With other gluten-free bagels on the market, I am full for an hour, then hungry again, despite being twice as big. Most others on the markets are made with fillers rather than real ingredeints, and that’ makes a difference by leaps and bounds.
Love. Love is their main ingredient. And love is what I give back. Sweet Note Bagels is doing the gluten-free community a lot of justice by putting out quality, delicious, amazing bagels. If these were served to anyone, no one would be able to tell that they are gluten-free. That is how outstanding these bagels are. With this package polished off, all that remains is the Sesame…before I need to restock. Maybe the Pumpkin Spice will be back by then…
Stay tuned!
The Celiathlete 