Bagel

A bagel is a dense, ring-shaped yeast bread with a shiny, blistered crust and a chewy interior. Boiled then baked, it develops a tight crumb, gentle malty sweetness, and sturdy bite suited to toasting and spreading. Commonly used for breakfast and sandwiches, it appears plain or seeded and often comes pre-sliced fresh or packaged.

Bagels originated in Jewish communities of Poland and spread with Eastern European immigrants to North America. They became staples of urban bakeries in the early 20th century and later grew nationwide with mechanized production.