Bagel
History
The bagel is a bread product that originated in the Jewish communities of Poland in the 16th century. It is traditionally shaped by hand into the form of a ring from yeasted wheat dough, roughly hand-sized, which is first boiled for a short time in water and then baked. The result is a dense, chewy, doughy interior with a browned and sometimes crisp exterior. Bagels are often topped with seeds baked on the outer crust, with the traditional ones being poppy or sesame seeds. Some may have salt sprinkled on their surface, and there are different dough types, such as whole-grain or rye.
Though the origins of the bagel are somewhat obscure, it is known that they were widely consumed in Ashkenazi Jewish communities in the 17th century. The first known mention of the bagel, in 1610, was in Jewish community ordinances in Kraków, Poland.
Bagels are now a popular bread product in North America, especially in cities with a large Jewish population, many with alternative ways of making them. Like other bakery products, bagels are available (fresh or frozen, often in many flavors) in many major supermarkets in those cities.
The basic roll-with-a-hole design is hundreds of years old and has other practical advantages besides providing for a more even cooking and baking of the dough: the hole could be used to thread string or dowels through groups of bagels, allowing for easier handling and transportation and more appealing seller displays.
Production
A typical bagel dough contains wheat flour (without germ or bran), salt, water, and yeast leavening. Bread flour or other high gluten flours are preferred to create the firm, dense but spongy bagel shape and chewy texture. Most bagel recipes call for the addition of a sweetener to the dough, often barley malt (syrup or crystals), honey, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, with or without eggs, milk or butter. Leavening can be accomplished using a sourdough technique or using commercially produced yeast.
Bagels are traditionally made by:
- mixing and kneading the ingredients to form the dough
- shaping the dough into the traditional bagel shape, round with a hole in the middle, from a long thin piece of dough
- proofing the bagels for at least 12 hours at low temperature (40–50 °F = 4.5–10 °C)
- boiling each bagel in water that may or may not contain additives such as lye, baking soda, barley malt syrup, or honey
- baking at between 175 °C and 315 °C (about 350–600 °F)
This production method gives bagels their distinctive taste, chewy texture, and shiny appearance.
Varieties
There are numerous bagel styles based on the dough's type and/or the addition of flavoring agents. The most traditional style is the plain, or "regular", bagel, made from a simple yeast dough and boiled before baking. Other traditional varieties include poppy seed, sesame seed, onion, garlic, salt, pumpernickel, and rye. More modern takes on the bagel include flavors like cinnamon-raisin, blueberry, sun-dried tomato, spinach, and many others. Some bagel recipes may replace wheat with alternative grains, such as spelt, barley, or oats.
In addition to the wide variety of bagels available, there are also different ways to serve them. They can be eaten plain or toasted, and are often sliced and spread with cream cheese or other toppings. They can also be used to make sandwiches or eaten as part of a larger meal.
Cultural Significance
The bagel has been a significant part of Jewish culture and identity since the 17th century, when it was a staple of the Polish Jewish community. The bagel's round shape symbolizes the circle of life and the cyclical nature of time in Jewish culture. It has since spread to become a popular food item in many parts of the world, particularly in North America, where it has been embraced by a wide variety of cultures and cuisines.
In the United States, February 9 is celebrated as National Bagel Day, a day to appreciate the history and cultural significance of the bagel.