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Kosher Bagels


About Bagels
Edited from About Home Cooking: The bagel has long been a staple in New York delicatessens and a favorite of the Jewish community. Once relegated as a bland breakfast food given flavor by the addition of lox and cream cheese, there are now more bagel flavors than you can shake a stick at.

What makes it a bagel? From a purist standpoint, a bagel is a round yeast roll with a hole in the middle, no egg in the dough, malt rather than sugar, cooked in water, and then browned in the oven. This process produces a dense, chewy roll with a crisp exterior, hence giving rise to the term cement doughtnut. Of course, nowadays, bagels have evolved to include not only egg, for a bit lighter roll, but also spices and herbs to give added flavor.


A common misconception is that water bagels are any bagel cooked in water. Of course, all bagels by definition are cooked in water and then browned in the oven. To the purist, water bagels are bagels made with water in the dough, specifically with no egg or flavoring additions.

The History of the Bagel

There is some debate amongst historians about the origin of bagels. There are numerous etiologies of the word bagel. In Yiddish, it was beygel, from the Middle High German bouc and Old High German boug, both meaning a ring or bracelet. Another possibly origin is from the German word bügel, for a round loaf of bread.

Some historians credit a Viennese baker for creating the bagel to commemorate the victory of Polish King Jan III Sobieski over the Turks in 1683. The bread was formed into the shape of a buegel or stirrup, because the liberated Austrians had clung too the king's stirrups as he rode by.

More on Bagels...



Where to Find Kosher Bagels in Israel
In Jerusalem
Brunch Bagel, 3 Ezer Yoldot St., Jerusalem. Tel: 02- 5004001
Bagel Bite, 84 Derech Beit Lechem, Jerusalem . Tel: 02- 6716890
Bagel Cafe, 46 Emek Refaim St., The German Colony, Jerusalem . Tel: 02- 5877877
Bonkers Bagels, 2 Tiferet Israel St, Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem. Tel: 02- 6272590
Gush Dan
Carmeli Bagel Bakery, Azrieli Mall, Tel-Aviv. Tel: 1 599 500502
Carmeli Bagel Bakery, Raoul Wallenberg St., Ramat Hahayal, Tel-Aviv. Tel: 1 599 500502
Sharon Area
Carmeli Bagel Bakery, 6 Shenkar Street, Herzlia. Tel: 09-9518555
South
il Pentolino, Easy Bagel, 112 Hatemarim Street, Eilat. Tel: 08-6343430
 
more to come...

Links

About Bagels Recipes and Cooking Information

The History of Bagels From The Food Project, dedicated to studying the origin of foods.

The Bagel Cookbook A Step-By-Step Guide to This Popular Food