If you delve into the canon of bagel lore, there’s no doubt you’ll run into the popular idea that the secret ingredient in a great bagel is the water. Specifically, New York water. Maybe we’re not the authority capable of confirming or denying this rumor, but we sure do have a dog in this fight. Does this bagel-making myth hold water?
Rumor has it...
According to many (mostly New Yorkers) the water used in the dough gets all the credit for making New York bagels superior to others. Popular mythology tells us that the soft water that trickles down from the Catskills in upstate New York has a profound effect on the softness of the bagels. Since there are less minerals (magnesium and calcium, for example) in this water, the gluten proteins don’t tense up and make the bagels too tough to chew.
Myth busting
There was enough hubbub about the alleged magic of New York water that scientists got involved. In 2015, the American Chemical Society did a little analysis that revealed a shocking truth: the softness of bagel water only has a tiny effect on the final product. America’s Test Kitchen also came to the same conclusion by making side-by-side batches of bagels using New York water and Massachusetts water. If you can believe it, over in Boston they have even softer water—and still, no huge difference! Myth busted.
So what makes the difference?
There are dozens of factors that lead to a great bagel. But first and foremost, there is one key ingredient: knowledge. Making bagels properly requires a deep understanding of mixing, boiling, baking, and everything in between. When asked why their bagels are the best, New Yorkers ought to say the following in their signature no-nonsense way: because the best bagel makers are from New York! If you’re properly trained, you know the ins and outs of the bagel making tradition. And with that knowledge, there's a good chance you’ll sell some show-stopping bagels regardless of the relative softness of your water supply.
