Bagels, James Beard Award, Artisan Bread, and Burnt Toast

Last week's Oregonian Food section had a cover story on making bagels at home. Included were a feature story, a recipe, some history, and some recommentations for different toppings.

The 2005 James Beard Awards were announced this week. The winner for Best Bread Baking Book went to Maggie Glezer's A Blessing of Bread : The Many Rich Traditions of Jewish Bread Baking Around the World.

The Northwest Indiana Times ran a lengthy piece on artisan baking, which includes a few recipes.

And, finally, a man who auctioned off a slice of toast carved with his drawing of the runaway bride feels burned because the winning bidder has refused to pay for the item.