Bagels

Bagels are chewy doughnut-shaped yeast rolls which originated in Eastern Europe, but are now a popular breakfast, snack, or lunch in North America.

Many large cities, such as Montreal, New York, Los Angeles and London have their own bagel making recipes and traditions.

Fast Facts

1. Available in dozens of varieties
2. Americans eat an average of 2 bagels per month
3. Often eaten with cream cheese and lox
4. Approximately 200 calories in a plain bagel
5. Popularity has increased steadily since the 1960s

Unique Bread

Traditional bagels are made without egg and sweetened with malt, although many modern recipes include egg and use sugar or honey as sweetener.

The bagel's dense, chewy texture comes from the practice of boiling the dough before baking it. This stops the yeast from causing the bread to rise as it is baked.

Categories