Where it comes from
Eastern European Jewish migration in the 1910s brought the form; Montreal's bakers shifted to honey-water boil (vs NYC's malt) and wood-fired oven for sweeter crust.
On the plate
Chewy ring with caramelized sesame or poppy seed crust; the sweet hint distinguishes it from American versions instantly.
How it works
Honey-water boil caramelizes the surface differently than malt-water — sweeter, less malty. Wood-fired oven's thermal mass creates the signature uneven char.
Variations
Sesame (white) and poppy (black) are the only two flavors — anything else marks you as a non-local.
On the Palate
Ingredients
Serves 4
How it's made
4 steps · Show ↓90 min active · 720 min waiting
How it's made
4 steps · Show ↓- 115 min
Mix 500 g bread flour + 250 ml warm water + 7 g yeast + 30 g sugar + 10 g salt + 30 ml oil + 1 egg; knead 12 min.
- 270 min
First rise 1 hr; divide into 12 balls; poke hole and stretch into rings.
- 310 min
Boil 4 L water + 60 g honey; boil each bagel 1 min per side.
- 414 min
Roll boiled bagels in sesame or poppy seeds; bake on stone at 230 °C 14 min until golden.
