Montreal vs. New York Bagel Showdown

This week I was presented by a unique opportunity to conduct a side by side taste-test of Montreal bagels and New York bagels. As I'm home for break we can get St. Viateur bagels at a local grocery store and my dad's intern went to Long Island for the weekend and brought us some New York bagels. Neither were day-of fresh, but both samples had traveled similar distances and lived comparable shelf-lives. What is the difference, you may be asking. A bagel is a bagel is a bagel, isn't it? Certainly not!

As you can see in the picture, Montreal style bagels are small and dense, in contrast with puffier New York style bagels. In many New York bagels the hole almost disappears due to the puffyness but Montreal bagels are decisively ring-shaped. Montreal bagels are boiled in honey-water before baking and contain sugar, lending them a sweeter flavour, while New York bagels tend to be saltier, boiled in plain water. Montreal bagels are baked in a wood-burning oven, and are attractively browned in places, while New York bagels are baked in a standard oven and have a more uniform look. Traditionally, Montreal bagels were either sesame or poppy-seed, though there are more varieties today (including the abomination that is the whole-wheat bagel). New York bagels come in a range of flavours, perhaps most deliciously pumpernickel and everything.

A word about other bagels: Some bagels do not deserve to be in either category. While I am a Canadian college student and so frequent Tim Horton's, their bagels are simply not in the same league, but by their sheer blandness make every bite of a true bagel, New York or Montreal, so much better. I had high hopes for a Bagel World that was to open near campus, but those high hopes led to grave disappointment when it finally opened (it has since closed). Montreal bagels can be ordered from St. Viateur and some excellent grocery stores (like Pete's Frootique in Halifax) stock them. My Market Bakery in Toronto's Kensington Market makes a good Montreal bagel. I have not found a great New York style bagel in Canada, but I haven't been looking too hard.

Sesame New York bagel toasted with butter and cream cheese:


Poppyseed Montreal bagel toasted with butter and cream cheese:


I will admit my bias, if it has not already become clear. Montreal bagels are one of my favourite foods, and as soon as I have my own freezer it will be forever stocked with mail-ordered St. Viateur's. They are dense, chewy and slightly sweet-to me they are what a bagel ought to be. New York bagels are chewy but in a very different way-they are breadgels. They can never achieve the crisp excellence of a toasted Montreal bagel due to their sheer bulk. This bulk can come in handy if you simply want a tasty vessel for whichever sandwich meats strike your fancy, but in pure, classical applications of the bagel (toasted, with cream cheese or butter), Montreal wins by a landslide. I realize that the bagel wars are divisive and I can appreciate that both have their strengths-it really depends on what you are looking for in your bagel, and in large part this is shaped by what you grew up with. Both are delicious topped with cream cheese and smoked salmon (but really what wouldn't be?), though in a simple preparation, there is no contest.

Stollen my heart

My German heritage does not figure prominently in my life-I don't speak it, I've never been, none of my immediate family members were born there. Basically, I'm blonde and have an affinity for beer and clean design. But Christmas is a different story altogether. Every year my dad and I make at least 4 different kinds of traditional German Christmas cookies (coming soon) and stollen. Stollen is a sweet bread (not to be confused with sweetbread), almost the consistency of shortbread that is covered in powdered sugar. This is certainly not a health food, but it's Christmas! Our family version uses raisins (lately Craisins too), currants, candied fruit and almonds.

My dad actually made this before I arrived home (a couple were shipped to my brother and my aunt-loaves also freeze well), so I am grateful to be using his photos and his recipe, as handed down by my great-grandmother. The top of the index card reads ""Like Grandma Retter and Grossmutter Ressel made!" wrote Ilse Zimmer, mother of Peter (my dad), Chris & Julie."

Austrian Stollen (makes 2 loaves)

• 4 tsp quick-rise instant yeast
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup lukewarm milk
• 7 egg yolks
• 1 tsp vanilla
• grated rind from 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter
• 5 cups flour
• 3/4 cup white raisins (substitute Craisins for some or all of this)
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1/4 brandy (or sherry)
• 1 cup mixed diced candied fruit
• 1/3 cup blanched sliced almonds, lightly toasted

1. Combine in a large bowl the eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon rind and milk. Add yeast and 3 cups flour to make a soft dough. Beat vigourously with a wooden spoon for 5 minutes, let rest 10 minutes or so. Mix in another 2 cups of flour and the softened butter to make a soft and slightly sticky dough.

2. Turn out dough onto a floured board for kneading. Work in just enough flour while kneading so that the dough loses any stickiness, and then knead for at least 10 minutes, until dough is elastic and shiny. Form into a ball.

3. Place in a well-buttered bowl, turning so all surfaces are buttered. Cover with a towel and put in a warm place to double. Punch down, and knead lightly again. [The dough could be refrigerated for 3 or 4 days at this point]

4. Mix fruit and brandy. Let stand for 1 hour, stir from time to time. Drain excess liquid. (I drink it - Yummy! -IZ [my grandmother!]). Knead the fruit and almonds into dough.

5. Butter a large baking sheet very thickly. Cut dough in half. Roll out each piece into an oval 1/2 as large as baking sheet. Fold each oval so that bottom edge extends beyond top. Turn this back to form a small roll and fold. Place both ovals on baking sheet, well apart so that they do not rise and touch while baking. Let rise until puffy. Brush top with melted butter. Bake for 45-50 minutes at 375˚.



6. Remove to racks to cool. Brush tops with butter while warm, and again after they cool. Dust with confectioner's sugar, and repeat before serving.



Sneak slices whenever you can find an excuse to go to the kitchen. They are heavenly toasted with butter, especially on Christmas morning.

I love this cornbread so much...

Well, he'll tell you:

I looooove cornbread. I actually don't care much for chili but will often suggest it just to have cornbread alongside. I played with the Cook's Illustrated recipe a bit to spice it up and make it even cornier.

Cornbread

• 2 tbsp unslated butter, melted
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs
• 2/3 cup buttermilk-if you don't have buttermilk, you can make a good substitute with the ratio of 1 cup whole milk to 1 tbsp vinegar
  
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1. Pre-heat oven to 425˚. Grease 9 inch square baking pan with butter.
2. Mix together cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Make a well.
3. Crack eggs into the well and mix, then add buttermilk and milk and stir until just combined. Add melted butter along with pepper and corn and mix.
4. Pour batter into pan and bake until golden brown and lightly cracked, about 25 minutes.
5. Allow pan to cool 5-10 minutes on wire rack, and serve warm.

A veritable deluge of posts coming soon as I count down to back to school. Next: Ribs!

Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring...

Bananabread!

My work was getting rid of an absurd amount of over-ripe bananas and I seized the opportunity and did not ask questions.

My first project?

Banana bread-from Cook's Illustrated

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon (optional)
  
• 1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
  
• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed well (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 large eggs
• 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. Pre-heat oven to 350˚. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and dust with flour, tapping out the excess. Melt the butter so it has time to cool.
2. Spread walnuts out on cookie sheet and toast in oven until fragrant, 10 minutes. Let cool.
3. Whisk together dry ingredients and walnuts in a large bowl.
4. Mix all wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Lightly fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just incorporated and batter is thick and chunky. Scrape batter into loaf pan with spatula.
5. Bake until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Cool in pan 5 minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temp.

Challahback Girl

I think my big city snobbery is wearing thin on my friends and family here at home. 'What do you mean the library's closed Sundays AND Mondays?' 'What do you mean the traffic lights turn off after midnight?' 'What do you mean there's no Jewish bakery??' The last one however can be compensated for. St. Viateur Bagel from Montreal (the best of all the bagels, in my opinion) delivers to a local grocery store, making for easier access than in Toronto. As soon as I have access to a freezer of my own aka when I sort of grow up, it will be stocked with mail-ordered bagels, ice cream and booze. Somewhat surprisingly, I am not in fact obese.

But bagels are only one part of the equation. Homemade challah is something I've made several times and never falls short of delicious.

Challah (Cook's Illustrated)

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, extra for dusting workspace
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 envelope (2 1/4 tsp) instant yeast
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 large eggs + 1 yolk
• 4 tbsp/1 stick/56 g unsalted butter, melted (I hate butter conversions)
  
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp hot water
• 1 egg white
• 1 tsp poppy or sesame seeds (optional, but adds deliciousness)
  

1. Whisk together 3 cups flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Mix together 2 eggs, yolk, melted butter, and 1/2 cup water in bowl of standing mixer fitted with dough hook (if a KitchenAid mixer with all the attachments is the only reason you would get married, except possibly for EU citizenship, and that day has yet to come, use your hands-it works for me). Add flour mixture to wet mixture; knead at low speed until dough ball forms, about 5 minutes, adding remaining 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to prevent the dough from sticking (this will take a bit longer by hand). Whisk reserved egg white with remaining 1 tbsp water in small bowl, cover and refrigerate.
2. Transfer dough to lightly oiled large bowl, turning dough over to coat with oil. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Gently press dough to deflate, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise until doubled in size again, 40-60 minutes. (Rising will go quicker in a warm area, I always end up sticking the bowl on top of the fridge-warm air rises and all that)
3. Lightly grease large baking sheet and set aside. Transfer dough to lightly floured workspace. Divide dough into 2 pieces, one roughly half the size of the other. Divide large piece into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into 16-inch rope, about 1 inch in diameter. Line up ropes side by side and pinch ends together. Braid, and pinch other ends together. Place braid on baking sheet. Do the same with the smaller piece of dough, brushing some of the egg white mixture on the top of the larger braid before placing smaller braid on top, as shown. Loosely drape loaf with plastic wrap and let rise until loaf becomes puffy and increases in size by one third, 30-45 minutes.
4. Heat oven to 175˚. Brush loaf with remaining egg wash and sprinkle with poppy or sesame seeds, if using. Bake until loaf is goldern brown and instant-read thermometer inserted into side of loaf reads 190˚, 30-40 minutes. Place baking sheet on wire rack. Cool loaf completely before slicing.