The European roots of the bagel
The great North American rivalry
The chemistry of the perfect chew
Bagels around the globe
Which medieval Polish bread, dating back to 1394, is considered the direct ancestor of the bagel?
How did impoverished Jewish bakers in 19th-century Eastern Europe typically display and sell their bagels on the street?
sonia A medieval Polish bread called obwarzanek is the direct ancestor of the modern bagel.
What traditional gift was given to women after childbirth according to Kraków regulations in 1610?
At which of the following life events was it historically traditional to serve bagels in Eastern European Jewish communities?
sonia The Bagel's European Roots
Boil the dough, let the circles roll! (Oh yeah!) A lucky gift for a newborn soul! (You know it!)
In what year was the first written mention of the word 'bagel' recorded in Kraków, Poland?
Medieval royalty: In 1394, Queen Jadwiga of Poland ate braided obwarzanek during Lent, the earliest royal record of the bagel's ancestor.
In Jewish folklore, why was the circular shape of the bagel believed to protect against evil spirits?
A dense, ring-shaped yeast roll that is boiled before it is baked. Kraków's Jewish community regulations of 1610 contain the earliest known written mention of this circular bread.