New York City is the bagel capital of American and home to the authentic kettle boiled bagel that so many people around the United States know and love. But why is NYC known for the best bagels? What makes their bagels so different from everyone else’s?
What exactly makes an NYC bagel so special and why their bagels are the best in the country? Let’s explore.
History of the NYC Bagel
Before I get into what exactly it is that makes a New York City bagel taste so much better than any other bagel out there, I’m going to start off with a brief history of how the NYC bagel came about.
Although New York City is home of the best bagel around, the bagel actually originated in Poland. Historians speculate that the very first bagel ever was created all the way back in 1683 in honor of the 17th century King of Poland’s victory over in the Battle of Vienna. Apparently, this king was the first the first one to not honor the restriction against manufacturing white bread, which ultimately led to the Polish people coming up with the creation of the bagel since they were able to make white bread again. Thanks King Sobeiski!
Bagels, however, did not make their way over to New York until the 1800s when many European Jewish immigrants migrated over, taking their bagel recipes with them. As time went on and the immigrants of New York began to assimilate more, bagels became more popular as more people from different cultures came across them.
Still, it wasn’t until around 1960 that the New York City bagel craze really took off. By then, there were tons of shops all throughout the city and packaged bagels were being mass produced due to the large amount of consumption happening at that time. The 1980s is when the size of the NYC doubled and became the New York City style bagel that we all know and love today.
What Makes NYC Bagels Taste So Good?
Now that we have a better idea of where the bagel came from and how it ended up in New York, we can begin to take a look at the factors that make an NYC bagel taste so good. There are three main components that differentiate an NYC bagel from any other bagels: the water, the rolling of the dough, and the boiling process.
The Water
You know that saying “there must be something in the water”? Well there must be something in New York City’s water because believe it or not, one of the reasons that NYC bagels have such a great taste is because of the state’s water. Every authentic NYC style bagel is made by being kettle boiled, so they all are exposed to New York water during the process of making them.
What’s so special about New York’s water you ask? Well, the water starts out in upstate New York in the Catskills and travels down through a succession of tunnels to the Central Park reservoir from there. As it travels through these tunnels, it is exposed to minerals such as iron, calcium, and copper, so that when it finally reaches Manhattan, the water is infused with all of these rich minerals.
This is such a key factor in the great taste of a New York City bagel that different bagel shops around the country have New York water shipped in to make their bagels in order to try and mimic the taste.
The Rolling of the Dough
The next key factor that makes an NYC bagel taste so good is how they roll the dough. All authentic NYC bagels are rolled by hand rather than by a machine. Rolling the dough by hand is important because it creates that puffy, round shape that is chewy on the outside and soft on the inside.
You’ve probably gone into a bagel shop somewhere in the United States and ordered a bagel only to be handed one that is flat and has a large hole in the middle, right? This is because they rolled the dough of their bagels using a machine rather than by hand, flattening the bagel so that it becomes far less soft and doughy. Sure, this method is less expensive and a lot less time consuming, but it also is much less tasty.
The Boiling Process
As I mentioned above, all authentic New York City bagels are made by being kettle boiled. This method of cooking the dough is an essential part of what makes NYC bagels taste the way they do. Many other bagel shops throughout the rest of the United States simply put the dough straight into the oven once its been rolled to save on time and money, but cutting out this extra step of boiling the dough is another big reason why non-NYC bagels don’t taste nearly as good as NYC bagels do.
The process of boiling the dough is what gives the exterior of the bagel that great chewy texture, as well as what gives it that darker brown color. Some NYC bakers even add sweeteners such as lye or barley malt into the water before boiling the dough to give it a little extra something. After the bagels have been boiled for a few minutes, then they can be transported into the oven to bake the rest of the way.
Conclusion
Now you know just why an authentic NYC style bagel tastes as good as it does. Luckily for us, there are many different bagel shops all across the United States that mimic the style of a New York City bagel, so you don’t have to travel all the way to NYC to enjoy one.
Shmagel’s Bagels in Maryland is a great example of a great bagel similar to the NYC style bagels. They also have a wide variety of unique flavors and cream cheese spreads that take their bagels to a whole new level.
Visit a Shamgel’s Bagels today or ask about our franchising opportunities.
FAQs
a regular bagel is the water you boil them in. Much like a specific vineyard terroir is used to make a wine, certain minerals in New York City tap water are attributed to creating the best bagels. These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment.
What makes New York style bagels different iReady? ›
Explanation: The primary characteristic that makes New York-style bagels unique among other bagels is that they are boiled before they are baked. This distinctive preparation method gives New York style bagels their iconic chewy texture and slightly shiny surface.
Why are New Yorkers obsessed with bagels? ›
Bagels, however, did not make their way over to New York until the 1800s when many European Jewish immigrants migrated over, taking their bagel recipes with them. As time went on and the immigrants of New York began to assimilate more, bagels became more popular as more people from different cultures came across them.
What makes New York style bagels different from other types of bagels brainly? ›
Explanation: The main factors that set New York style bagels apart from other kinds of bagels are their size, texture, and production process. New York style bagels are typically large, with a dense, chewy interior and a slightly crispy exterior.
Why are New York bagels superior? ›
“In fact, the state has some of the softest water in the country.” The article explains how the chemical makeup of soft water affects the dough. “Hard water toughens gluten, while soft water softens it, making the dough goopier. This produces a more delicious, chewy bagel.
What is New York bagel most famous? ›
Best for bagel sandwiches: Ess-a-bagel
Ess-a-bagel has been around for over 40 years and has become known as the trailblazer of New York bagel shops. According to Silverman, they were the first to make jumbo fluffy bagels, which is the bagel type that the city is known for today and make for the best bagel sandwiches.
What makes New York-style bagels special? ›
A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.
What is the secret of New York bagels? ›
The Key to a Real New York Bagel
New York bagels get boiled prior to baking, defining their special texture in a solution of water and barley malt. A long boil and thicker crust inhibit rising, resulting in a dense interior while a short boil yields a crusty yet chewy bagel bite.
What makes New York-style bagels their color? ›
While the bagels are rising, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of malt syrup or barley malt. Malt syrup gives the bagels their characteristic golden color and slightly sweet flavor.
Are bagels healthy? ›
Bagels can be healthy if made with whole grains, contain minimal fat and sugar, and are an appropriate portion size for your health goals. For a healthier choice, look for whole wheat, whole grain, or rye bagels. While bagels with cream cheese are delicious, traditional cream cheese is not necessarily healthy.
A bagel is an iconic New York food. It's a round bread, with a hole in the middle, savory, crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It's topped with seasonings and traditionally filled with cream cheese and smoked fish. It's most known as a breakfast item but can be eaten at brunch or lunch time.
What's so special about bagels? ›
But what sets it apart from other bread is its unique texture and flavor, which comes from its special preparation process. Bagels are first boiled in water (sometimes with malt syrup or honey added) before being baked, resulting in a crisp and shiny crust that encases a dense and chewy interior.
Why are NYC bagels the best? ›
The production process, most importantly the proofing of yeast and the boiling of the bagels prior to baking them, is what better defines the texture and taste of signature New York bagels.
What makes New York bagels different from other bagels iReady? ›
New York bagels are better than different bagels because of two things: The New York water, which is a key fixing, in addition to the manner in which the bagels are cooked. Hard water hardens gluten, while delicate water mellow it, making the batter goopier. This creates a more tasty, chewy bagel.
What gives New York-style bagels their color iReady? ›
The color of New York-style bagels is primarily achieved through the Maillard reaction, which occurs when proteins and sugars in the dough are exposed to heat. However, ingredients such as brown sugar, malt, and molasses can also contribute to their distinctive golden brown hue.
Why are bagels so much better on the East Coast? ›
The production process, most importantly the proofing of yeast and the boiling of the bagels prior to baking them, is what better defines the texture and taste of signature New York bagels.
Who has better bagels NYC or Montreal? ›
Montreal bagels tend to be smaller, thinner, sweeter and less salty than their New York City counterparts. Both are boiled, but Montreal employs wood-burning ovens for baking, while New York utilizes burlap planks. Many NYC loyalists tout the local tap water as the secret ingredient.
Why are New York bagels so good water? ›
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.
What makes NY NJ bagels so good? ›
Secondly, and most importantly, New Jersey's water is the best suited for making bagels. NJ gets its water from the Catskill Mountains, which has very soft water, meaning it has low concentrations of calcium and magnesium. This soft water perfectly matches the high protein concentration of the bread flour.
