History of the Bagel
Many cultures around the world have their version of the roll with a hole. In Puglia, Italy, you can enjoy a snack known as the taralli. It is basically a hard, round cracker with fennel. There is also the buccellatum which was developed by the Romans. The Chinese have the girde. Not to mention, ancient Egypt developed its own bagel-like snack. However, when you are thinking about “bagels near me,” you may not be thinking about the bagel’s origin story. You may be thinking about Rob’s Bageland in Coral Springs.
Earliest Reference to Bagels
A boiled and baked bread ring was first mentioned in an Arabic cookbook from the 13th century. This bread is called ka’ak. Nowadays, bagels are associated with 17th-century Ashkenazi Jews.
Although bagels were first published in the community ordinances of the Jews in Kraków, Poland in 1610, there was an earlier form of a bagel-like bread in Poland. This bread was known as obwarzanek, and it was written about in royal family accounts in 1394.
The Migration of Pretzels from Germany to Poland
One theory behind this is that, during the 14th century, Germans migrated to Poland due to the flourishing economy. While in Poland, they introduced the population to their pretzels.
In German monasteries, the pretzels evolved into a circle-shaped roll with a hole in the center. This became known as obwarzanek. This bread grew in popularity because Queen Jadwiga of Poland replaced the consumption of bread and pastries with obwarzanek for Lent.
Bagels Make Their Way to London and New York City
For Polish people of the 16th and 17th centuries, the bajgiel was considered a staple. The Polish word bajgiel comes from the Yiddish word beygal. Beygal comes from the German word beugel, which means bracelet or ring.
Halfway through the 19th century, bagels started to be sold in Brick Lane as well as other parts of London, England. Polish Jews brought the bagel to the United States via New York City in the late 19th century.
In 1900, the “bagel brunch” was popular amongst New Yorkers. During the brunch, the bagel would be topped with lox and cream cheese. Capers, tomato, and red onion were also added to the bagel. As a result, American Jews incorporated bagels with cream cheese and lox, also known as lox and schmear, into their cuisine.
Bagels Become a North American Phenomenon
Many small bagel shops popped up in New York City. Although bagels were quite popular in New York City, they did not really become popular with the rest of North America until the last 25 years of the 20th century. Its popularity grew due to automation.
In 1958, Daniel Thompson started the development of the first bagel machine. As a result, the production of frozen bagels as well as the distribution of them became possible.
The success of bagels inspired Kraft Foods to acquire Lender’s Bagels in 1984. This was a great business move for Kraft as they already made Philadelphia cream cheese. During the mid-90s, bagels became a multi-billion-dollar industry. The production of bagels now allows you to order breakfast online.
Bagels Near Me
Although the origin of the bagel is somewhat unclear, it is evident that its influence has impacted the whole world. Automation has made it possible to mass-produce bagels. Nowadays, you can order breakfast online. Rob’s Bageland has a nice selection of bagels to choose from.
