Bagel

A bagel is a ring-shaped bread made from wheat dough that is briefly boiled before baking. It originated in the Jewish communities of Poland and is now a popular bread in North America and Poland.

History

Ring-shaped breads boiled and then baked have a long history across Europe and western Asia, with relatives such as ka'ak, obwarzanek and simit. In Kraków, the baker's guild made the obwarzanek, a ring-shaped bread of this kind, as early as the 13th century. The bagel itself is recorded in Kraków in 1610, in the community regulations of the local Jewish community, where it was given to women after childbirth.

The name comes from Yiddish, which took it from a German dialect word meaning "ring" or "bracelet". Between the 16th and 17th centuries it became a staple of Polish cuisine. Some researchers suggest a link with German pretzels, although the evidence is limited.

By the mid-19th century bagels were sold in London's Brick Lane district. Polish Jewish immigrants brought them to the United States, where New York developed a strong trade. Hand-made production was replaced by automation in the second half of the 20th century, which allowed mass production and freezing.

Culture

The bagel is closely linked to Ashkenazi Jews and to city life in places with large Jewish communities. In New York it is typically sliced and filled, and the bagel brunch, with smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers, tomato and red onion, became a habit in the early 20th century.

The two classic North American styles are New York, lighter and fluffier with salt and malt, and Montreal, slightly sweeter and crisper, boiled in honey-flavoured water and often sprinkled with sesame. Poppy, sesame, onion, garlic and coarse salt toppings are common, and the "everything" version combines several at once.

Today bagels are sold fresh, frozen and in supermarkets, in many flavours. Among New Yorkers there is a debate about toasting, since many argue that a well-made, fresh bagel should not be toasted.