When NY Rep. Dan Goldman launched the congressional bagel caucus in early February, one of his staffers drove down I-95 with 250 bagels and 25 pounds of cream cheese, as well as lox from five shops in the district. At 7 a.m. the next morning, aides began what they called a “sophisticated slicing operation,” using two “bagel guillotines” to cut their inventory into halves. An estimated 50 hours of staff time went into prep, at a cost of a “couple grand” from Goldman’s own wallet. Seeds were everywhere. Demand was so intense the halved bagels had to be quartered. The office put out a press release lamenting “supply chain issues.” For years, people in Washington thought that to get a decent bagel would require a trip beyond the beltway. But that’s no longer the case: D.C. itself has become a burgeoning bagel hub, and it’s happened in quintessentially Washington fashion. At least 21 specifically designated bagel stores now operate inside the district, and that’s not counting the gourmet b...