Bagels. You know them â or at least you think you do. But until youâve had a fresh New York-style bagel â a circular bread with a hole in the center thatâs been briefly boiled and then baked â you havenât experienced them at their best. Boiling is key: It gives the bagels a thick, dark golden-brown crust while still allowing them to rise. When you slice into a boiled bagel, the interior should be soft and squishy, with a wonderful elasticity that should hold up against a thick glob of cream cheese.
Official records date the birth of bagels to 1610 in Poland, and we have New Yorkâs Jewish community to thank for folding them into the fabric of our country, starting in the mid-19th century when Eastern European immigrants began arriving in the U.S. New York-style bagels gained popularity here in the 1970s, and through the decades, theyâve evolved from niche breakfast bread to essential breakfast carb.