A bagel or beigel is a type of bread that was made in Poland, specifically in the Jewish communities. But today bagels are baked and served in many countries. Normally eaten with cream cheese, some bagels are made into sandwiches with toppings such as avocado, smoked meat, smoked salmon or eggs.
None can resist a fresh bagel in the morning with eggs or avocados. It is also filling for lunch as a bagel sandwich with meat. It is the perfect option for a grab n go meal.
Montreal style bagels
The Montreal bagel is a distinct variety which is handmade and cooked in a wood-fired oven. It is very different from the New-York bagel or East Coast bagel, that contains sourdough. The Montreal bagel is thinner, denser, smaller and sweeter. In many establishments, they are made in front of customers and baked in the wood-fired oven. This is a part of the bagel’s charm. If you wonder - Is Montreal Bagel safe to eat? It absolutely is! Plus, it is delicious.
How healthy are Montreal style bagels?
Generally speaking, a medium-sized bagel can have 300 calories, but there is a belief that these calories are healthy. They are quite nutritious to the body. However, with different flavours the calorie and fat count will vary. A French toast or chocolate bagel will be more calorie-heavy than a pumpernickel or poppy seed version. But again, if you can work it out, you are free to eat them. As calories in certain quantities are good for the body, you wouldn’t want to give up on them completely.
Coming to Montreal style bagels - they are 100% healthy because they are natural, and hand made. There are no artificial ingredients used in the process and it is purely artisanal. A Montreal bagel is densely chewy inside and crispy on the outside. As per information available online – a New York bagel can have anywhere from 300 – 800 calories. To make it easier to understand, if you are eating 800 calories, you could be eating a large piece of cake. Whereas, the standard size of a Montreal bagel is thinner, smaller and has a larger hole as compared to the New York one. The Montreal bagel has a calorie range of 120-220. This means it is definitely healthier than other versions of a bagel.
Some people, when eating the New York style bagel scoop out the interiors and just eat the crust. But a dietician saw that she still took in 400 calories this way. So, we see that the Montreal style bagels are quite healthy in comparison. In fact, you can eat them without spreads or dressing. They are slightly sweet and can be eaten right out of the bag. This means that you don’t even need those extra dips and spreads, saving up on the calorie count!
What are Montreal bagels made of?
A Montreal style bagel has egg, malt and little or no salt. The following are the components of Montreal bagelsin detail. Most recipes use flour, malt, egg, sugar, yeast, vegetable oil and poppy or sesame seeds. Some recipes also use a tiny bit of salt and/maple syrup.
Water, sugar and yeast are mixed together and left to stand. Then the remaining wet ingredients are added – eggs, oil, and salt. Flour is added last and the dough is kneaded for 10 minutes. Then water and honey are boiled in a pot till the dough is shaped. The bagels are then boiled and baked right in front of you.
Here are some quirky facts about Montreal bagels.
· These bagels have been tospace. Greg Chamitoff – A NASA specialist loved Montreal style bagels. So, he took 3 bags with him to space.
· You can find them being baked at 8 am to even 6 pm. Because they are made fresh, the shops or delis are open pretty much the whole day, late into the night. They churn out these delicious pieces for you to consume.
· They are much lighter than some oftheir counterparts in different parts ofthe world.
Montreal style bagels in Toronto
Now comes the next most important question - Where to find healthy Montreal Bagel in Toronto?
We have made a list of areas where you can find delis or shops that sell Montreal style bagels right here in Toronto.
Bagel Time in Toronto has two popular shops where you can find Montreal style bagels.
· Danforth Avenue
· Bloor Street West