Why New York Has the Best Bagels
TLDRThe video script explores the claim that New York City boasts the best bagels, delving into the factors that contribute to their distinctive taste. Contrary to popular belief, it's not just the water's mineral content that makes a difference; it's the entire process. The soft water from the Catskill mountains does play a role by affecting the gluten in the dough, but it's the meticulous steps of proofing, boiling, and baking that truly define a New York bagel. Chef Richard Coppedge from the Culinary Institute of America explains that proofing allows yeast to ferment and release a variety of flavor compounds, while boiling pre-gelatinizes the starch, creating a chewy interior and a slightly crunchy exterior. The video concludes that while water quality is a factor, it's the traditional bagel-making process that can't be replicated elsewhere, making New York bagels truly unique.
Takeaways
- 🏙️ New York City is often considered the best place for bagels, with a strong claim to having the best bagels anywhere.
- 💧 The water used in New York City, sourced from the Catskill mountains, is soft with low mineral content, which is believed to play a role in the bagel's texture.
- 🌟 Water's mineral content affects the gluten in the dough, with hard water potentially leading to tougher bagels and soft water to a goopy texture.
- 🙅♂️ Despite the water's importance, it is not the sole factor in making a great bagel.
- 🍞 The dough is a critical component, with bakeries making large quantities and shaping them by hand or machine.
- 🕒 Proofing is a key step where bagels are left to sit in a cooler for a couple of days, allowing the yeast to ferment and release a variety of flavor compounds.
- 🔥 The kettle step, where bagels are boiled before baking, is crucial for pre-gelatinizing the starch and setting the bagel's texture.
- 🔍 The boiling process helps to seal in flavors and maintain a chewy interior, akin to flash-frying a steak before grilling.
- 🌊 While New York water is preferred, it is possible to replicate its effects by adjusting the dough with additives if the local water is too soft or by filtering hard water.
- 🚫 Skipping the boil will result in bagels that do not have the same characteristic texture and flavor.
- 👨🍳 Chef Richard Coppedge emphasizes that the process of rolling, proofing, boiling, and baking is essential and cannot be faked for an authentic bagel.
Q & A
What is the bold statement made about New York City bagels at the beginning of the script?
-The bold statement is that New York City has the best bagels anywhere, period.
Why did Reactions visit Murray’s Bagels in Greenwich Village?
-Reactions visited Murray’s Bagels to understand what makes a New York bagel so delicious and to go behind the scenes of the bagel-making process.
What role does the water from the Catskill mountains play in the making of New York bagels?
-The water from the Catskill mountains, which is traditionally soft with low concentrations of calcium and magnesium, affects the gluten in the dough, contributing to the texture of the bagels.
How does the mineral content in water impact the dough of a bagel?
-The mineral content in water affects the gluten in the dough. Hard water strengthens the gluten, potentially making baked goods tougher, while very soft water can make the dough too goopy.
What is the significance of proofing in the bagel-making process?
-Proofing, which involves letting the bagels sit in a cooler for a couple of days, allows the yeast time to slowly ferment and release up to fifty different flavor compounds, enhancing the taste of the bagels.
How does boiling the bagels before baking contribute to their texture?
-Boiling the bagels pre-gelatinizes the starch in the dough, locking in liquid water into the solid starch, which sets up the perfect bagel texture with a shiny, slightly crunchy exterior.
What can be done if you don't have access to New York water when trying to replicate a New York bagel?
-If your water is too soft, you can add a small amount of calcium sulfate to the dough to toughen up the gluten. If your water is too hard, you can filter it down to achieve a similar mineral content to New York water.
Why is the boiling step considered crucial in the bagel-making process according to the script?
-The boiling step is crucial because it helps to seal in the flavors and keep the insides of the bagel chewy and delicious, contributing to the characteristic texture of a New York bagel.
What is the role of the kettle in the bagel-making process as described in the script?
-The kettle is used for boiling the bagels for a short period before baking, which is an essential step in achieving the bagel's texture and flavor.
What is the name of the chef who provided insights into the bagel-making process in the script?
-Chef Richard Coppedge of the Culinary Institute of America provided insights into the bagel-making process.
What is the process that good bagel bakeries follow according to Chef Coppedge?
-Good bagel bakeries make the dough, roll it into a bagel shape, let it proof in a cooler for a couple of days, boil it before baking, and then bake it to achieve the desired texture and flavor.
What does the script suggest about the importance of the traditional steps in making a bagel?
-The script suggests that the traditional steps of rolling, proofing, boiling, and baking are essential and cannot be faked to achieve the authentic New York bagel.
Outlines
🏙️ New York's Bagel Supremacy
The video script begins with a bold claim that New York City has the best bagels in the world, inviting any criticism to only strengthen their conviction. The video takes us to Murray’s Bagels in Greenwich Village to explore the secrets behind the deliciousness of a New York bagel. While many attribute the bagel's quality to the city's water, known as 'woa-tah', the video explains that it's not just the water, but the entire process that makes the bagel. New York's water is soft, which affects the gluten in the dough, but it's the proofing, boiling, and baking processes that truly set New York bagels apart. The video also offers tips on how to replicate the water's effect on the dough if you don't have access to New York's water.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Bagels
💡Water Quality
💡Catskill Mountains
💡Gluten
💡Proofing
💡Boiling
💡Kettle
💡Culinary Institute of America
💡Dough
💡Calcium Sulfate
💡Montreal Bagels
Highlights
New York City is claimed to have the best bagels anywhere.
New York's bagel supremacy is well established, but the reasons are disputed.
The water source, referred to as 'woa-tah', plays a minor role in the bagel's final quality.
New York's water from the Catskill mountains is traditionally soft with low mineral content.
Soft water affects the gluten in the dough, which can impact the texture of baked goods.
The mineral content of water does not solely determine the quality of a bagel.
Dough preparation is a key factor in making a great bagel, with bakers making large quantities at a time.
Good bagel bakeries allow the dough to proof in a cooler for a couple of days to enhance flavor.
Proofing releases up to fifty different flavor compounds from the yeast fermentation.
Murray’s Bagels uses a kettle to boil bagels before baking, which pre-gelatinizes the starch.
Boiling creates a shiny, slightly crunchy exterior and a chewy interior.
The quick water bath during boiling is crucial and can be replicated outside of New York.
Adjustments can be made to water hardness by adding calcium sulfate or filtering to achieve a similar texture.
The process of rolling, proofing, boiling, and baking cannot be faked for an authentic bagel.
Chef Richard Coppedge of the Culinary Institute of America provided insights into the bagel-making process.
Murray’s Bagels was visited for a behind-the-scenes look at bagel production.
The video encourages viewers to like and subscribe for more food chemistry content.
A playful challenge is issued to Montreal for its bagels, indicating a friendly rivalry.
Transcripts
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