Fairmount Bagel

Fairmount Bagel is a Montreal-style bagel bakery in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the Mile End neighbourhood of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough. The first location opened on September 7, 1919[1] on Saint-Laurent Boulevard by Isadore Shlafman. The current location, on 74 Fairmount Avenue West was opened in 1949. Fairmount Bagel still remains a family-run business.

Fairmount Bagel Storefront In Montreal

History

Fairmount Bagel was the first bagel bakery of its kind in Montreal. Isadore Shlafman, known as Grandfather Isadore, moved from Russia to Canada, and opened the bakery in 1919 – originally called the Montreal Bagel Bakery, located on Saint-Laurent Boulevard. In 1949, Grandfather Isadore moved from the Saint-Laurent location to a cottage on Fairmount Avenue. The location of the bakery was moved to the first floor of their home, and the family lives upstairs. The Shlafman family changed the name, in accompaniment to the new location, to “The Original Fairmount Bagel Bakery”. Since the opening, Fairmount Bagel has remained a family-run business.[2] Grandfather Isadore passed the business down to his son Jack Shlafman, who then passed it to his son, Irwin Shlafman.[3] The same methods are used to make the bagels – rolled by hand and baked in an old-fashioned wood-burning oven.

Culture

Origins of the Montreal bagel

Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, specifically Poland, introduced the Montreal bagel to North America. Originally, the “beugel” was a traditional gift, first, to the King of Poland, John III Sobieski, then more commonly to new mothers.[4] From here, the bagel ended up being sold in the city streets of Russia and was called "bublik". In the first half of the 20th century, after being brought to North America, these bagels were almost exclusively made and sold within the Montreal Jewish communities. In the 1970s, the Montreal bagel gained popularity on the other side of the Canadian border and were mass-produced to supply this demand.[5] Some people compare the characteristics of the Montreal bagel, compared to other bagels, as being reflective of the hostility toward the immigrating Jewish population in the 20th century. Much like those Jews had to develop thick skin and form tight-knit communities, the Montreal bagel more compact and chewier than other bagels.

According to mtl.org, the proper way to eat Fairmount Bagels is fresh out of the bag, with “schmear”, such as cream cheese.[6]

Iconic storefront

Fairmount Bagel has been located on Fairmount street since 1949. The painting “Fairmount Bagel In Winter” by Carole Spandau was chosen to represent the Plateau Mont-Royal in the Fall 2013 exhibit at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum in Montreal.[7] Many artists have used the iconic storefront as a source of inspiration. These artworks can be found on the Fairmount Bagel website.[8]

Inside the Bakery's Production Process

Products

Montreal-style bagels are smaller, less chewy, and sweeter than the New-York style bagel. The former is also made with honey and malt syrup. The process of making this baked good consists of hand-rolling and then submerging the bagel dough in boiling water for roughly 3 minutes, then baking it in a wood-fired oven for 20 minutes.[9]

At Fairmount, sesame bagels make up 70 percent of their sales.[10] Nonetheless, the company has a range of fresh products. The store sells several “schmears”,[11] such as tubs of cream cheese, for customers to apply to their bagels.

Menu Item Main Ingredients Image
Sesame seed unbleached flour
Poppy seed unbleached flour
Plain unbleached flour
Caraway seed unbleached flour
Blueberry unbleached flour
Garlic unbleached flour
Onion unbleached flour, garnished with onion and poppy seeds
All-dressed unbleached flour, garnished with onion, garlic, caraway seeds, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, and coarse salt
Chocolate unbleached flour, chocolate chips, and orange zest
Pumpernickel unbleached flour and rye sour
Cinnamon and raisin unbleached flour, raisins, and cinnamon
Sweet bagel unbleached flour, fresh eggs
Muselix 100% organic whole wheat flour, all natural honey, triticale flakes, oat flakes, millet, raisins, and garnished with sesame seeds
Power 100% organic whole wheat flour, fresh eggs, all natural honey, raisins, walnut, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds
Whole wheat 100% organic whole wheat flour, no eggs, all natural honey, and garnished with sesame seeds
Multi grain 100% organic whole wheat flour, malt flour, no eggs, nutritious grains, all natural honey, garnished with sesame seeds
Flax seed malt flour, fresh eggs, all natural honey, and 12 gas of freshly ground flax seeds
Bozzo Three bagels twisted into one giant bagel, garnished with sesame seeds on one side and poppy seeds on the other
New York Pretzel sprinkled with coarse salt
Bagel chips All flavours
Mini bagels unbleached flour and fresh eggs
Sesame Matzoh bread 100% organic whole wheat flour, garnished with sesame seeds and salt
Poppy seed Matzoh bread unbleached flour, garnished with poppy seeds
Garlic Matzoh bread unbleached flour, garnished with onions and salt
Onion Matzoh bread unbleached flour, garnished with onion, poppy seeds, and salt

Media and news
Greg Chamitoff and colleagues with Fairmount Bagels In Outer Space[12]

Fairmount Bagel mission to space

In May 2008, the first bagel made it to outer space from the International Space Station on mission STS-124. 45-year old Astronaut Greg Chamitoff, the nephew of the owner of the store, managed to take products from Fairmount Bakery with him in his shuttle into space.[13]

Montreal bagels and the environment

As environmental concerns are increasing, Montreal-style bagels are becoming increasingly rare. Wood-burning ovens, which contribute to the character of the Montreal bagel, might be forced out of existence. Although gas ovens could be used, it will be a monumental change in the tradition of the art form of the Montreal bagel. While they are safe for now, time will only tell how much the city values the century-old tradition.[14][15][16][17]

The Fairmount bagel is slightly sweeter than St-Viateurs. Montreal food blogger Katerine Rollet says that when you ask people which they prefer, it's about a 60-40 split, Fairmount to St-Viateur. Given the two bageleries close proximity, convenience is not a deciding factor when picking where to buy their products—it's about loyalties.[18]  

Adam Gopnik wrote in the New Yorker that a true bagel is a wood-fired Montreal one from either store.[19]

There have been tours created to showcase the different vendors and to fuel the debate about which is superior.[20]

"Bagels in the Blood", documentary about Fairmount Bagel

Filmmakers Jonathan Keijser, from Halifax, and Daniel Beresh, from Edmonton, spent time in Montreal, created a documentary about Fairmount Bagel after spending time in Montreal while pursuing musical-theatre projects.[21] “Bagels in the Blood” is dedicated to sharing their interests, as well as helping people learn more about Fairmount Bagel culture. The documentary can be found on Vimeo.[22]

Rough Guide Recommendations

This travel information guidebook recommends Fairmount Bagel Bakery as one of the two best-known historic delis, when visiting Montreal's Jewish neighbourhood.[23]

See also

References
  1. https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/brownstein-montreals-fairmount-bagel-marks-100-year-milestone
  2. "About Us". Fairmount Bagel. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  3. Brownstein, Bill (February 10, 2016). "Bagels in the Blood is now complete and available for bagel-fanciers everywhere to catch online – for free". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  4. "Montreal Bagels". The Canadian Encyclopedia. Retrieved September 4, 2019.
  5. "The famous Montréal bagel and everything you need to know". Tourisme Montréal. November 27, 2017. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  6. "The famous Montréal bagel and everything you need to know". Tourisme Montréal. November 27, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  7. "News Room". Fairmount Bagel. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  8. "About Us". Fairmount Bagel. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  9. Eats, Serious. "Montreal Bagels: St-Viateur vs. Fairmount". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  10. Eats, Serious. "Montreal Bagels: St-Viateur vs. Fairmount". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  11. "The famous Montréal bagel and everything you need to know". Tourisme Montréal. November 27, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2019.
  12. "Bagels in Space". Fairmount Bagel. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  13. "Montreal bagels taken into space | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  14. Lalonde, Michelle (October 17, 2018). "Montreal signals bagel makers that clock is ticking on wood burning". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  15. Forster, Tim (December 5, 2018). "The Plateau Will Protect Montreal's Famed Bagel Stores Under Wood-Fired Oven Law". Eater Montreal. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  16. "The death of the Montreal bagel?". Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  17. "Montreal's famous bagel shops under fire for wood-burning ovens | CTV News". www.ctvnews.ca. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  18. Eats, Serious. "Montreal Bagels: St-Viateur vs. Fairmount". www.seriouseats.com. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  19. Forster, Tim (September 14, 2018). "Ex-New York Times Critic Says Montreal Bagels Are 'Like Chewing Broken Glass'". Eater Montreal. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  20. Lowrie, Morgan (October 12, 2018). "Exploring Montreal's Jewish food history, including and beyond the bagel". The Hamilton Spectator. ISSN 1189-9417. Retrieved March 30, 2019.
  21. Brownstein, Bill (February 10, 2016). "Bagels in the Blood is now complete and available for bagel-fanciers everywhere to catch online – for free". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  22. "Bagels In The Blood". Vimeo. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
  23. "A foodie's guide to Montreal and Quebec". Rough Guides. Retrieved March 28, 2019.

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