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The Canadian Bagels Have Arrived
By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 27, 2010
Modified Feb 27, 2010
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By
Jen Carlson
Published Feb 27, 2010
Modified Feb 27, 2010
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Certain Brooklyn bagelheads have been heading to Mile End Deli in Boerum Hill today to snatch up some specially-delivered bagels from Montreal. The bagels, from St-Viateur bagel bakery, are $2.50 a pop (or a dozen for $22) and traveled overnight to get here. The folks at Brokelyn think this is très absurde, saying, "There are so many things wrong with this scenario that the mind reels trying to count them." They suggest hitting up the Bagel Hole for an 80 cent doughy delight.
Like it or not, these bagels made it past border control, and they will continue to every Saturday, indefinitely. Originally the ex-pat owner at Mile End, Noah Bernamoff, was having them shipped via Fed Ex, but that yielded not-so-fresh results. And as for the pricetag, one half of the delivery duo, Joel Tietolman, says, "When we considered that H&H, the New York equivalent to our St. Viateur, sells their bagels for $16.80 a dozen, $20 for bagels hand-made in Montreal and driven in overnight is a pretty good deal, and much tastier."
It's suggested that you pre-order here, where they also note: "The Montreal Bagel is unlike any other style of bagel. Some attribute this to Montreal tap water, used for the dough as well as a honey boiling process prior to the bagels being baked in a wood burning oven. Compared to New York Bagel, the Montreal bagel is smaller, denser, chewier, and slightly sweet." Let us know if you try one!
UPDATE!: NY1 anchor, and Canadian, Pat Kiernan tells us...
"I really like the wood-fired bagels. But it's nothing like a New York bagel. It's got a tougher texture and isn't as big. I think the Montreal style is great in the toaster.
If you think the NY bagel is the perfect bagel don't change your routine. But if you want to give it a try, you should. You might like it. I do. My New York born kids, on the other hand, want no part of the Montreal bagels. 'That's not a real bagel,' my daughter Lucy informed me last week in Vancouver when I gave her a Montreal-style."
Tagged
bagels
brooklyn
canada
mile end deli
montreal
St Viateur
Jen Carlson
Jen Carlson is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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