The Best Bagel You’ll Ever Eat

I think there needs to be a change in the little red leaf at the centre of our national flag. I think they made a mistake when they designed our emblem. I bet that leaf was meant to be a bagel.  A Montreal-style bagel!

The Canadian bagel is like no other piece of dough you’ve ever had. They’re the best tasting bagel you will ever eat.

Born and bread in Quebec, the Montreal-style bagel from Habs Town has become a Canadian tradition. But, make a quick hop from Montreal and a short paddle across the river, to O-town. Ottawa, Ontario is where you’ll find some of the country’s best Montreal-style Canadian bagels. Just ask Shad.

 

You just need to follow your nose to Kettleman’s Bagel, a tiny shop in The Glebe neighbourhood to see what I mean. Shad and his bageltiers (I’m not sure if that’s a word but it is now) are up 24/7 baking away (really, they’re always open!) Kettleman knows how to make authentic bagels. Traditionally, the Montreal-style bagel is made with malt, perfectly hand-crafted, poached in honey-water then baked in a wood-burning oven. It is smaller than its New York counterpart, but Montreal-style bagels are deliciously sweeter, crunchier, and chewier! The traditional New York bagel is baked in a standard oven, often boiled in regular water, dressed with salt, and has a much smaller hole.

Kettleman’s is a micro-factory for bagels. I was immediately welcomed by Shad, who I could quickly tell has a deep passion for bagel-making! Shad says they make (and sell real fast) at least 5,000-10,000 bagels. PER DAY!  Their poppy and sesame kinds are their signature bagels, but they make more than 15 other different, heavenly flavours. Ready-to-eat or ready-to-bag. If that doesn’t keep ’em busy, they also make their own creamy home-made bagel spreads.

I can’t believe a place rolls out THIS many bagels!

 

 

Who would’ve thought a round, doughy ring with a hole in the middle could taste so good?

 

 

 

I couldn’t decide which bagel I wanted. Pretzel bagel, Bozo bagel, Bagel dog? Did I want Pumpernickel, Chocolate, Lemon & Cranberry, Cinnamon?? Would it be their cheddar spread, lox spread, tuna, BLT…? And then which spread goes better with which bagel? So, I asked Shad for help. The Kettleman’s Special it was! Smoked Salmon, Deli Cream Cheese, Tomato, Red Onion and Garlic Olives on All Dressed! I seem to have an aversion to olives so he recommended a side of pickles instead!

Creamy, smokey, crunchy, and sweet. This would be the best tasting bagel I have ever had.

 

 

German’s have the pretzel but we Canadians have the pretzel bagel!

 

Sorry NYC. We’ll let you keep the hot dog but us Canucks know bagels to ultimate perfection!

Have you tried a Canadian bagel?

 

Where to get it: 912 Bank Street, Ottawa

When: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year!