> P.S., why is a bagel boiled before baking? > > Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM) Boiling the dough gelatinizes the starch on the surface of the dough sealing the crust, producing the even sheen on the surface, and setting the shape of the bagel. The bagel's moisture retention and chewy texture are also results of the gelatinized crust. Bear