8 replies to this topic

[Fat Guy]

A recent New York Times "City Room" piece by Jennifer 8. Lee pits Montreal bagels against New York bagels. Hardly a new debate, but the piece has the distinction of quoting me in favor of Montreal bagels.

Steven A. Shaw, a New York City food writer, did a comparison for the Montreal Gazette in 2000, which involved purchasing bagels in New York and Montreal at the same exact minute and then flying the Montreal bagels to New York for a side-by-side taste test. The Montreal bagels won hands down, he said.

This is also to be the subject of a radio interview today on CBC Montreal at about 5:45pm, I'm told.

[howsmatt]

Anything in a wood burning oven is awesome. One of my cooks prefers NY bagels to Montreal style... I'm looking for his replacement.

The city of Montreal has put a moratorium on wood burning ovens and if any of these places close they will lose their right to have a wood burning oven ever again. Still, the bagel places ARE Montreal and will not likely be denied their delicious polluting bagels.

Fat Guy--> Let me know when you visit and we'll go for a REAL bagel.



Matt

[Darienne]

A bagel so near and dear to my heart. I am Montreal born and raised and although I haven't been to Montreal for quite a long time now...I still long for the bagels.

[mcdobson]

I love the Montreal bagels with Montreal seasoning!
Myers Montreal Style Bagels here in Burlington, VT are simply awesome!

[agray]

It just isn't even a fair comparison, is it? Montreal by a country mile - and even Montreal-style elsewhere if they do it right. Siegel's in Vancouver, for example, makes a pretty decent bagel, especially when they're hot out of the wood-burning oven. Mmmm...

[mcdobson]

I believe the owner of Myers here in town owns a shop in Montreal as well. Or at least he did at onetime. We can get them frozen, and precut. Not as good as fresh, but really good for a quick breakfast or snack!

[Peter the eater]

I hope this rivalry never ends. Good bagels are a divine gift from someplace.

[Darienne]

So a friend came to stay last week from Ottawa, ON, and brought a dozen bagels. I specified...Montreal bagels or nothing bagelish.

Unfortunately, I did not also say...buy them the day you are coming or don't bother. Not only did he buy them the day before, he didn't bother to put them in the provided plastic bag to keep them a tad fresh. Aficionados of Montreal bagels are aware of the stale factor.

It is a tribute to my essentially forgiving nature that I did not mention it to him nor strangle him either, but smiled sweetly and ate the bagels, stale as they were.

DH ran each remaining bagel under the tap very briefly and put them into a plastic bag into the fridge and truly, it did rescue them to a great extent.

Visitor left his suit here by accident, so...I shall make a note of the house bagel requirements for his return visit. Bring 'em right...or don't bring 'em.

[porkpa]

Just got back from Montreal yesterday. I bought 12 dozen bagels - 6 dozen sesame seed, 6 dozen poppy; half from St Viateur, half from Fairmount. I gave half away to friends and relatives. I packed the remaining half individually in baggies and put them in the freezer. I had one of each toasted this morning - deliceux!! I've had them as much as a year old and they are still good.