How Do You Eat Your Bagel? (2024)

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Ed Levine

How Do You Eat Your Bagel? (1)

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Ed Levine founded Serious Eats in 2006. He has also written seven books and in 2016 he was inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food & Beverage in America.

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Updated August 10, 2018

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How Do You Eat Your Bagel? (2)

Anytime people gather to discuss one of the most pressing issues of the day—what is the most proper and delicious way to eat a bagel—heated (pun intended) arguments ensue. So I have decided that we are going to settle it once and for all, right here on Serious Eats, with the first and probably last Serious Eats Bagel Debate. As you are about to hear, there are many subtle nuances to this freighted issue.

First let's define our terms.

In the New York Times I wrote:

A bagel is a round bread made of simple, elegant ingredients: high-gluten flour, salt, water, yeast, and malt. Its dough is boiled, then baked, and the result should be a rich caramel color; it should not be pale and blond. A bagel should weigh four ounces or less and should make a slight cracking sound when you bite into it instead of a whoosh. A bagel should be eaten warm and, ideally, should be no more than four or five hours old when consumed.

A few more bagel stipulations from my Times story:

Bagels do not need six ounces of cream cheese on them. They only need a schmear. Cream cheese made without guar gum is optimal, but it is hard to find. (You can still find fine natural cream cheese at the Fairway markets and Russ & Daughters in New York, and Zingerman's in Ann Arbor, Mich., makes a great, larger curd cream cheese that is available by mail.) On the subject of salmon, it should be Nova, and it should be sliced to order. A good bagel with cream cheese and smoked salmon does not have to be toasted, as contrast with the fat and salt will be provided by the crunchy crust of a properly made bagel exterior.
But a buttered bagel should almost always be toasted, so that you get that great, rich melted butter taste. Better yet, you can achieve the same effect if you buy your bagels fresh, still warm from the oven. No toasting needed!

I wrote this a few years ago, but I feel compelled to update and expand my bagel findings.

A bagel that is not fresh out of the oven, that is at least six hours old, does need to be toasted, whether it is going to be buttered or topped with cream cheese, nova or both. Otherwise it will be too hard. A bagel that has been sliced and frozen obviously needs to be toasted when brought back to life.

Badly made bagels that have not been boiled and baked, like those awful rolls with holes they incorrectly call bagels at places like Dunkin' Donuts, Au Bon Pain, Panera, and McDonald's, must be toasted to have even a remote chance at being tasty and satisfying. A Starbucks bagel also needs to be toasted.

Outside New York City, where I have eaten bagels in at least 25 states and six countries, it can be difficult to find bagels that do not have to be toasted. Montreal has a fascinating bagel tradition. Its very small bagels are made in a wood-burning oven and sweetened with honey. They do not need to be toasted if they are eaten within four hours of being purchased (why anyone would wait that long is beyond me). After four hours, Montreal bagels join the ranks of need-to-be-toasted bagels.

I have made many pronouncements here. But as Serious Eats is an eatocracy, I would like to hear others weigh in on this important topic.

How Do You Eat Your Bagel? (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat your bagel? ›

There are several ways to enjoy a bagel. You can eat it plain, toasted, or with various toppings such as cream cheese, butter, jam, or smoked salmon. You can also use it to make a sandwich by adding your favorite fillings.

How do you eat bagel and lox? ›

For a lox sandwich, plain or savory cream cheese will work best. Smear a layer of cream cheese on each half of the bagel if you are going to eat it open-faced, or you can put it on just one half if you plan to eat this as a sandwich. Then, simply top the bagel with lox — you can buy lox from a deli or fish market.

How do you eat an open-faced sandwich? ›

The best way to eat an open-faced sandwich is to use a knife and fork. Start by cutting a bite-sized piece from the edge of the sandwich and then enjoy it with the toppings and bread in one bite.

How do most people eat bagels? ›

Bagels are one of those foods that can be eaten a variety of different ways. Two of the most popular techniques are eating the two halves pressed together, and eating each side one-by-one.

Why is 6 love a bagel? ›

The TennisCompanion.org site defines a bagel as “a set where the ending score is 6-0″ and gives this as a sample sentence: “I'm going to serve my opponent a bagel today.” The explanation is simple: A bagel is round, like a zero. So it's used to describe situations where one player scores nothing.

What is the healthiest way to eat a bagel? ›

Bagels can be a part of a healthy breakfast if eaten with other foods that provide an overall nutritious and balanced meal. To enjoy bagels as part of a fulfilling breakfast, consider incorporating healthy fats as a bagel spread, such as avocado, hummus, or peanut butter.

What does lox mean in bagel? ›

Lox is a fillet of brined salmon, which may be smoked. Lox is frequently served on a bagel with cream cheese, and often garnished with tomato, onion, cucumber, and capers. Lox. Lox on bagel. Course.

Why is it called lox? ›

The word "lox" comes from the Yiddish word for salmon, "laks." Brining salmon is a Scandanavian tradition, but it was also popular among Eastern European Jews. Some of these people immigrated to the U.S. and brought their affinity for brined, cured, and smoked fish with them.

Is lox considered raw? ›

Made from the belly meat of a salmon, lox is actually never cooked but is, instead, cured in a salty brine mixture for several weeks. Compared to smoked salmon, lox is saltier with more of a raw texture, making it the perfect addition to a toasted bagel with cream cheese.

What do you call a sandwich with one piece of bread? ›

In a US context, open sandwiches are sandwiches that are made with only a single slice of bread.

What country is famous for open-faced sandwiches? ›

The open-face sandwich has its origins in Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Sweden. The simple concept of putting a piece of bread on top of another piece of bread, with some sort of filling in between, dates back to the Middle Ages.

What is the French name for open-faced sandwich? ›

"Tartine" is the French word for open-faced sandwich. Eggplant Tartine!

What's the proper way to eat a bagel? ›

The Correct Way to Eat a Bagel Is Open-Face. It yields a superior ratio of bagel to schmear. Welcome to the Great Bagel Boom, a series celebrating the vast creative expanses of bagel culture across America—because yes, you can find truly wonderful bagels outside of New York now.

What state eats the most bagels? ›

Surprisingly, Hawaiians eat the most bagels out of anywhere else in the US, enjoying around 142 per year, equivalent to three eaten each week.

What do New Yorkers put on bagels? ›

Toppings — Traditionally accepted toppings are limited to poppy, sesame, salt, onion, and everything. Modernists toppings can include pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, other "seasonings." Water — Many believe New York City water is the secret to the city's bagels.

Do you have to toast a bagel to eat it? ›

A bagel that is not fresh out of the oven, that is at least six hours old, does need to be toasted, whether it is going to be buttered or topped with cream cheese, nova or both. Otherwise it will be too hard. A bagel that has been sliced and frozen obviously needs to be toasted when brought back to life.

Are you supposed to eat bagels plain? ›

Rarely eaten on their own, bagels are typically paired with toppings, such as nut butter, a schmear of cream cheese or eggs, that make them more sustaining with added protein and healthy fats. "You can also try adding more food groups to turn a plain bagel into a balanced meal.

How to warm a bagel? ›

To help soften a hard bagel, simply wrap it in a moist paper towel and microwave it for 15 seconds. You can also set the bagel on a microwave-safe plate, then surround it with a few water drops or lightly mist it and put it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

How are bagels traditionally served? ›

Bagels with cream cheese are traditionally and most commonly served open-faced, sliced horizontally and spread with cream cheese and other toppings.

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