A toasted everything bagel with butter is a hidden gem at the Quarry. The Dickinson bagels in the Caf don’t have the biggest appeal as they are hard, small, and nowhere near filling enough to eat by itself. While the bagels offered at the Quarry don’t match the New York bagels I’m used to from home, they have become my go-to meal when the Caf menu is particularly disappointing (which it already has been! Come on Dickinson, we have only been back a week).

There’s a few steps I have mastered to get optimal toasty-ness and premium melted butter quality. This may sound overdramatic and tedious, but I’ve found these techniques elevate this dish into a sought-after meal.

1. When toasting in the Quarry, use the right side of the toaster, if possible. The left side ultimately gets the job done but I have found it often doesn’t toast immediately or needs some extra attention to start toasting at all. Try to use the right side for a hassle-free experience. 

2. While your bagel is heating up, prep your buttering station. Buttering the bagel is the most time sensitive part. In order to be prepped and ready to go when the bagel pops out of the toaster, I set up camp right beside it. This can cause a slight problem if you go during the breakfast or lunch rush because multiple people are also trying to use the toaster and even more are rushing to grab a napkin, which you’d be blocking access to. Nevertheless, I found that this inconvenience for others makes the world of difference for your eating experience. So, don’t skip out on this step unless you really have to (which isn’t the end of the world, I mean we’re talking about buttering a bagel not brain surgery). 

3. Your prep station should include: two napkins as your base, a plastic knife that is conveniently at your disposal next to the toaster and two butter packets. To prepare, open your butter packets and have them at the ready, every second counts once the bagel is fully toasted! 

4. Quickly, but safely, remove your golden brown, steaming hot bagel and place it on your napkins. Using your knife, one butter packet should be used for each side. I have found that two packets, one for each side, is the perfect amount of butter. This is one of the reasons I personally opt for butter over cream cheese. The one package of cream cheese supplied by the Quarry is rarely enough for me to cover my full bagel. With butter you have full access to unlimited packets (though two truly is the perfect amount, maybe three, but let’s not get too out of hand). Buttering your bagel immediately allows the butter to melt evenly across (hence the importance). Nothing is worse than having clumps of hard, cold butter ruin your every bite. Thus, I think this step really makes the meal, so try to use fineness and time accuracy for the best results. 

5. Finally, to make your bagel experience last longer and feel like a full meal, I suggest eating each side individually rather than putting the bagel back together. This step is least important and definitely up to personal preference. For me, the slower I eat my food the fuller I feel. Plus, given all the hard work and attention to details that went into toasting this bagel to perfection, I prefer to savor every bite. 

Overall, the Quarry’s everything bagels have a lot going for them. So, the next time you’re not feeling the Caf menu or are running low on flex points, this is an affordable, portable and satisfying option to look forward to.