Life of a Bloomington bagel

On a hectic Tuesday morning, what breakfast fits better into a college student’s schedule than a bagel? Available in a variety of flavors and spreads, bagels can be enjoyed sliced and lightly toasted with a cup of coffee or while running to catch the bus. But the life of a bagel starts well before it ends up in a hungry mouth. Here’s a brief history of the round, doughy treat.

Rolls with a Hole
Although commonly recognized as originating from Eastern Europe, the first “rolls with a hole” were from ancient Egypt. The bagels Americans know and love were brought over by Polish immigrants and were popular among Jewish communities in New York City during the late 19th century, but didn’t gain widespread popularity for another 100 years.

Ingredients and Mixing
Flour, water, yeast, malt and salt are the five main ingredients used to make plain bagels. Dane Moeggenberg, who works in dough production at Bloomington Bagel Company, is responsible for measuring and mixing ingredients. Each batch uses 100 pounds of flour, takes 15 minutes to mix and results in about 140 pounds of dough, he said.

Kneading
Dough needs to be punched and flattened before it can be divided and put into a portioner or shaped by hand.

Portioning and Shaping
Dough is put into a portioner, a machine that separates dough into little blocks. Blocks are put into another machine that shapes dough into standard bagel circles.

Proofing
Proofing activates the yeast, causing the dough to rise. Bagels proof in a refrigerator overnight, and once again at room temperature.

Boiling
Boiling makes the bagels shiny and chewy and makes them taste different than bread, Moeggenberg said. They begin to float up from the bottom of the large kettle, then are moved to the oven to prepare for baking.

Baking
Bagels are placed on boards for final preparations and baking. Toppings are added while bagels are on boards. At Bloomington Bagel, each of the 12 boards can hold up to 35 bagels. It takes 13 minutes for them to bake, and they are cooled on racks afterward. Once cooled, they are ready to be eaten.

Schmears and Spreads
Nearly anything can top a bagel, from cheese to cream cheese, sausage and eggs to lox, or just plain old butter.

Where to Get 'Em
Bloomington Bagel Company
113 N. Dunn St.

Scholar’s Inn Bakehouse
125 N. College Ave.