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The Best Bagels in the World? Oui! Oui!

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By Todd Kliman , Cynthia Hacinli , Ann Limpert

Photograph by Matthew Worden

Bagels from Montreal's St-Viateur, made by hand and finished in a wood-burning oven, are worth the mail costs.

Sorry, New Yorkers—the best bagels in the world are in Montreal. And now, thanks to a change in shipping laws, the legendary Montreal bakery St-Viateur Bagel (stviateurbagel.com) is again shipping its bagels to the States.

Smaller and lighter than their New York cousins and with a larger hole in the center, the bagels are artisanally handcrafted—no machine stamping—and baked in a wood-burning oven. Handmade bagels mostly vanished here in the 1960s, victims of the new bagel machines.

The St-Viateur bagels lose a little something in the three days it takes them to arrive by mail, but popping them into the toaster for a few minutes brings them back almost to their original, glorious state.

You can find cheaper bagels—including shipping, a minimum order of six dozen costs around $60—but not better bagels.

Comments

We recently ordered St-Viateur bagels and they are as wonderful as when we first ate them years ago in Montreal. A tip: order them with overnight shipping. Costly but the bagel retains the full flavor. Smart to order with others and defray shipping costs.

Posted by: David Marlin | Jul 04, 2007 09:04:12 PM

Much more local, and offering 23 delicious varieties of bagels, is Ize’s Deli and Bagelry, at 11622 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 (near far from the White Flint Metro station, and in the same mall as Blinds to Go). Visit their web site, to see what they offer, great "Everything" bagels and many others! Why go to Montreal?

http://www.izesdeliandbagelry.com/writeupcuisine.pdf

Posted by: Milton R. Goldsamt | Jul 03, 2007 12:53:15 PM

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