Michelle Darmody: How to make homemade bagels 

This bagel recipe is one for a lazy afternoon when you have time to knead your dough and let it rise for an hour or so in a warm corner of the house

Michelle Darmody: "The classic everything bagel so prevalent in the U.S. is coated in a mixture of poppy seeds, sesame seeds, dried garlic, dried onion, and coarse salt."

Bagels are made in an unusual way; they are both boiled and baked. The first step of boiling in salty, alkaline water helps the bagels hold their distinctive shape in the oven and it also gives that shiny smooth finish that they are well known for. 

The addition of bread soda and salt to a pot of water helps you create the right conditions.