The bagels of Montréal

 

 

Montréalers are fiercely proud of their bagels.

Montréalers are fiercely proud of their bagels, which they argue are far superior to those found in New York.

This, of course, doesn’t sit well with New Yorkers. But we say vive la differénce. The Montréal bagel is a denser nosh – smaller than its southern cousin, and with a larger hole – that’s been boiled in honey-sweetened water and then baked in a wood-fired oven, resulting in a distinctly brindled surface.

Those attending the 2010 RI Convention in Montréal, Quebec, Canada, can delve into the subtleties with a stop at Fairmount Bagel (74 avenue Fairmount Ouest), a family-run business that claims to have brought the bagel to Montréal in 1919. Although poppy seed and sesame seed are the most popular, Fairmount makes many more varieties, including the muesli, the flax seed, and the pesto and black olive.

Several bags of Fairmount’s bagels made their way into space with Montréal-born astronaut Greg Chamitoff in 2008 – substantiating the claim that they are, however briefly, out of this world.

An equally famous rival for Montréalers’ hearts is the St-Viateur Bagel Shop (263 rue St-Viateur Ouest), which, like the Fairmount, pumps out bagels 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can order from St-Viateur’s online (www.stviateurbagel.com) for shipping in the United States and Canada. To comprehend the devotion these bagels inspire, consider this: Not given to munching their food on the street, Montréalers make an exception for bagels, which they eat hot from the bag as they leave the store.

Register for the Montréal convention by 15 December to receive a special rate.