What the Montreal: Behind the Montreal bagel
Jewish food historian Katherine Romanow knows that Montrealers love their bagels.
“As Montrealers, we are raised eating bagels,” said Romanow, who is the director of food programming at the Museum of Jewish Montreal.
“They are special and the best in North America.”
The first bagel bakery in Montreal opened around 1919, just south of where Schwartz’s is located on St-Laurent Boulevard.
The Montreal Bagel Bakery, as it was called, was founded by Isadore Shlafman and Hyman Seligman. They went on to establish Fairmount Bagel and St-Viateur Bagel Shop, respectively.
The bagel originated in Poland. The sweet dough made its way to Montreal with Jewish immigrants coming to Canada.
“A Montreal bagel is a beautiful thing,” said Romanow.
But what makes Montreal bagels so special? According to Romanow, it’s all about how the bagel is made.
