I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating. Bagels were an important part of my childhood. Not only did they introduce me to the world of cream cheese, but they were typically a rarity when I was very young. I was raised a Unitarian, and at literally every church I’ve been to, they’ve offered yummy bagels after the service to help fundraise and feed their community. They always tasted special, and were a real treat when my parents agreed to let me grab one. That said, I never actually looked at the history of the bagels, why they have holes, or what they really brought to the bread family. As for questioning their holes, it turns out there’s a really interesting story behind them.
Holes are one of the things that set bagels aside from other types of bread. You don’t see many rolls with holes, and there’d be a big problem with condiments if sandwich bread included them.
The Daily Meal writes that the key difference with a bagel is that they were often sold as street food. And part of their appeal was the fact that they were often stringed up on display. This type of arrangement was actually common in delis until the ’70s, even though these days, you probably see them displayed at grocery stores in bins to help keep them fresh.
The history of the bagel is fascinating. The Atlantic reveals that the bagel likely originated in Poland and was known as a obwarzanek, and was enjoyed by royalty like Queen Jadwiga prior to sealing a spot among the world’s best street foods.
Even earlier than that, old records kept in Poland revealed that the bagel itself was prized for its round shape, which reportedly symbolized a long life. It’s possible that while creating the bagel to be a circle, the hole was inevitable.
Still, historically, it could be said that eating bagels is also good for your soul.
These days, it’s a good thing that bagels still have holes, as it makes them even more convenient to grab as a quick and delicious breakfast on the go.
I went to shoprite solely to buy gluten free bagels so I can have a peanut butter and jelly bagel for breakfast. That's my life today. pic.twitter.com/mbAnt3PPju
— OverTheRainbow (@StoryofaGirl8) January 10, 2019
This is it. After 3 days of waking up early .. I’m making an egg and bagel for breakfast. My dream has come true.
— Hellboy (@imnotreal___) January 10, 2019
Just had a bagel with avocado for breakfast
— killakelz (@Chewyah_) January 10, 2019
fresh bagel for breakfast😋
— scorpio (@same_ivette) January 10, 2019
And since they go with coffee, they’re a wonderful reason to stop at a place like Dunkin’, Panera, or your fave family-owned bagel shop, in the morning.
Even though bagels might not be used for deli decor the way they used to, there’s no hiding it — it just wouldn’t be called a bagel without having a hole in the center.
Here are some more bagel photos, just to inspire you to eat one today. Because, as we all know, bagels go beyond breakfast. Having a bagel sandwich for lunch is pretty fantastic. Ever try cheese and tomato on a bagel before? It’s a gamechanger.
So if you’re itching for either a breakfast or lunch plan, you might as well consider the bagel. Not too many other options are quite as versatile. Plus, now that you know the history, the choice may make you feel like royalty.
