How Did the Everything Bagel Come About?

Bagels are an important morning staple for many, but few pause to think about the origin or history of the beloved breakfast item. Invented in the 17th century in Poland, bagels today come in several different varieties and styles. Bagels can be found in miniature or with flavorings such as cinnamon sugar, poppy seed, onion, or the very popular everything bagel. This guide will explain what makes up the tasty everything bagel, and delves into the history and origin of the delicious snack or morning meal.

What is in an Everything Bagel?

Today, most people take the Everything Bagel for granted. Any reputable bakery will have them, and in many cases the Everything Bagels are the first to fly off the shelves in the morning. As the name implies, an Everything Bagel is covered with a variety of different spices. Poppy seeds, onion, garlic, salt, and various other spices come together to give the bagel a rich, savory flavor. Today, many bakeries use an Everything Bagel seasoning, or even an Everything Bagel spice mix, to create the unique flavors. Each bakery has their own unique Everything Bagel spice recipe that makes it their own. While there are often spices and flavorings within the bagel itself, the quality that is so unique to the Everything Bagel are the crunchy toppings and seeds found on the exterior of the doughy treat.

How did the Everything Bagel come about?

While there are a few different people who claim to have created the Everything Bagel, the story remains the same. Bakeries that traditionally made bagels covered some in poppy seeds, some in onion, some in salt and others in sesame seeds. At the end of the day, many of these toppings were mixed together, and had to be thrown out. Instead of tossing such a delicious mixture, it became a topping all on its own. The tasty blend of multiple toppings consisted of everything that made a bagel great, appropriately called the Everything Bagel. Today, smaller bakeries or people who make these doughy treats at home can simply purchase a Bagel Spice mix to recreate the flavors when baking in smaller batches.

Who created the Everything Bagel?

Many give credit to David Gussin for the creation of the Everything Bagel. In early 1980, he worked at a small bakery in New York state, and one day swept up all the remnant bagel toppings. Instead of throwing them away, he claims that he convinced his boss to coat bagels in the mixture and sell them as a tongue in cheek item, known as the Everything Bagel. However, others contest this story, saying that they were in fact the ones to create the popular Everything Bagel. While it cannot be proven either way, it is likely that it was created in a smaller bakery as an ingenious idea sometime in the late 1970s or the early 1980s.

Making Everything Bagels at Home

If you don't live near a bakery that makes Everything Bagels, or you just want to try making them at home, it is easier than you might think. By purchasing an everything bagel spice blend; you can recreate the fantastic flavors in your own kitchen.

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