Can you really go wrong with a bagel in New York City? If you're most of Twitter weighing in on a gubernatorial candidate's certain "sweet and salty" order at a Manhattan institution, seems so.
Cynthia Nixon, who faces Gov. Andrew Cuomo in the Democratic primary Thursday, visited Zabar's on the Upper West Side Sunday morning and asked for a cinnamon raisin bagel with lox, complete with red onions, capers, tomato and plain cream cheese.
Chronicled by Gothamist, the bagel order sparked widespread horror on Twitter, which in turn drew her defenders, and then circled back around to Nixon standing firm in her bagel stance.
"I hope Nixon ordered it toasted cuz if she's gonna throw away the race for governor like this, she might as well go out guns blazing," tweeted one person.
"There are only 3 explanations for Cynthia Nixon's order: 1) She was born without taste beds [sic]. 2) She wanted free publicity. 3) She is a psychopath," tweeted @DrSCubed.
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"Hi yes, I'd like a pumpkin spice latte. And why don't you go ahead and add some salmon syrup to that," mused another sarcastically.
"Can you impeach someone who hasn't been elected?" wondered Noah Shactman.
Not everyone was grossed out. A sympathetic Simon Hernandez-Arthur jumped in: "Listen, we all make mistakes in the pursuit of bold, new flavors. I once asked for egg and cheese on a blueberry bagel."
Others with unusual bagel preferences were similarly emboldened, stepping forward to proclaim their own sweet and salty mash-ups.
@RanfPayl tweeted, "When I worked in a bagel shop, my all-time fav sandwich was a cinnamon-raisin bagel with turkey, cheddar, and spicy mustard. Mmm."
Finally, amid all the uproar Monday, Nixon defended her bagel choice, calling it her "go-to breakfast, whether I'm out or at home."
"It's pretty delicious, and I say, don't yuck my yum," she told reporters. "Don't knock it 'till you've tried it."
Seizing on a campaign opportunity amid the fierce online chatter, Nixon tweeted Monday night: "Yes, I like to eat a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel with... lox, capers, red onions, cream cheese, and tomatoes," linking to a donation page offering a chance to "have YOUR favroite bagel with Cynthia."
