How are Bagels made?

Summary

Summary of "Who Smarted? - How Are Bagels Made?"

Episode Title: How Are Bagels Made?
Release Date: February 24, 2025
Podcast: Who Smarted? - Educational Podcast for Kids
Host/Author: Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media

"Who Smarted?" is a vibrant and educational podcast designed to engage children, parents, and educators with a blend of humor and insightful learning. In the episode titled "How Are Bagels Made?", the Trusty Narrator teams up with Chet Nickerson, the new owner of Chet's Bagels, to explore the intriguing world of bagels. This episode delves into the history, ingredients, traditional baking processes, and the variety of bagels that captivate millions each year.

1. Introduction to Bagels

The episode kicks off with the Trusty Narrator presenting a fun trivia game to capture the young audience's attention. [00:02] The narrator poses a playful question about a breakfast food with a hole, immediately sparking curiosity.

Trusty Narrator: "It's breakfast time and I'm about to eat a food with a hole in it... If you said bagels, you just got a hole in one." [00:02]

Chet Nickerson makes his entrance, humorously interrupting the game to reveal his new venture into the bagel business.

Chet Nickerson: "When I'm not breaking news, I'm breaking bread. So what can I get you?" [00:50]

2. Exploring Bagel Varieties and Toppings

Chet introduces the Trusty Narrator to an array of bagel types and spreads, showcasing the diversity available at his shop.

Chet Nickerson: "I've got butter, cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, veggie cream cheese... Or maybe you'd like some smoked fish. I've got lox, sable, sturgeon, whitefish, trout." [01:50]

The discussion highlights popular spreads like the classic "schmear" and specialized options that cater to various tastes.

Chet Nickerson: "My favorite is the schmear. That's where I take a knife full of cream cheese and just schmear it across a toasted bagel." [02:22]

3. The Bagel-Making Process

Transitioning to the heart of the episode, the Trusty Narrator and Chet delve into the traditional methods of making bagels, emphasizing the craftsmanship involved.

a. Ingredients and Preparation [07:27-08:05]

Chet outlines the essential ingredients: water, yeast, salt, flour, and malt.

Trusty Narrator: "Is it water, yeast, salt, flour, or malt? I bet a lot of you smarty pants are on to us. All of those ingredients go into making bagels." [07:27]

He describes the initial mixing process, where malt syrup and yeast are combined in warm water, creating the foundation for the dough.

Chet Nickerson: "I've got one of my bakers putting the malt syrup and yeast into a very large bowl of warm water. We call that stage one." [08:05]

b. Mixing and Kneading [08:33-09:40]

The conversation moves to combining the dry ingredients with the wet mixture using large spatulas.

Trusty Narrator: "That's the biggest spatula I've ever seen. It almost looks like a shovel." [08:49]

Kneading the dough is presented as a hands-on activity that even listeners can try at home.

Trusty Narrator: "I'm about to take part in the bagel making process where you smush and work the dough with your hands... If you said C kneading, you need to take a bow because you're right." [09:12, 09:40]

c. Proofing the Dough [10:02-10:12]

Chet explains the proofing stage, where dough balls are left to rise under a damp cloth to maintain moisture.

Chet Nickerson: "These dough balls then get put onto a large sheet pan where they are covered with a damp cloth." [09:40]

Trusty Narrator: "And that's done to keep the dough moist so it doesn't dry out." [10:02]

d. Shaping the Bagels [10:26-10:50]

The dough is rolled into rings, a shape that serves both practical and traditional purposes.

Trusty Narrator: "What shape is the dough formed into? Did you say a ring? Nice job. But why?" [10:26]

Chet discusses the functional reasons behind the hole in the middle of a bagel.

Chet Nickerson: "Having a hole in the middle makes it easier to cook them all the way through on a consistent basis." [13:39]

4. Boiling and Baking

A unique aspect of bagel making is the boiling step, which imparts the characteristic chewy texture and crust.

Chet Nickerson: "To ensure our bagels have the right amount of crustiness on the outside, they're dunked into a large pot of boiling water." [14:25]

The boiling time varies based on desired texture, typically between one to two minutes.

Chet Nickerson: "Oh, only about one or two minutes, depending on how chewy you like them." [15:01]

After boiling, bagels are topped with seeds and baked to perfection.

Chet Nickerson: "After the flavors have been added, they go into the oven to get baked." [15:33]

5. Varieties and Popularity

The episode explores different types of bagels and their unique ingredients.

Chet Nickerson: "For egg bagels, we mix egg yolks right into the dough. And for cinnamon raisin bagels, we add cinnamon and raisins right to the dough." [15:45]

Surprisingly, the most popular bagel isn't the "everything" variety but the blueberry bagel, topping the charts with cinnamon raisin in second place.

Trusty Narrator: "It's gotta be the everything bagel... but number one is blueberry." [16:03-16:35]

6. Historical Origins of Bagels

Chet shares intriguing stories about the origins of bagels, tracing them back to medieval Poland and Vienna, Austria.

Chet Nickerson: "Some say bagels go as far back as the Middle Ages, when the roundish bread became quite popular among migrants from Germany that traveled to Poland." [16:44]

Another tale credits an Austrian baker who, in tribute to King Jan Sobieski III, inadvertently created the first bagel.

Chet Nickerson: "A baker in Vienna, Austria, accidentally created the first bagel in the late 17th century... he shaped his dough in the form of a circle and referred to it as a brugel, which is German for stirrup." [17:16]

7. Fun Facts and Trivia

Throughout the episode, the Trusty Narrator engages listeners with fun facts and trivia to make learning interactive and enjoyable.

Trusty Narrator: "Do you know how many bagels get eaten every year? Why? In the US alone, around 205 million people will eat a bagel this year." [06:33]

He also quizzes the audience on which state consumes the most bagels, revealing surprising global popularity.

Trusty Narrator: "Any guess which state eats the most bagels? Is it A, New Jersey, B, Colorado, or C, New York? If you said New York, I'm talking to you." [06:46-07:00]

8. Conclusion and Community Engagement

The episode concludes with the Trusty Narrator expressing admiration for Chet's knowledge and dedication to bagel making, ensuring that Leo's legacy continues.

Trusty Narrator: "Well, Chet, I'm impressed. For a newsman, you sure know your bagels." [17:53]

Listeners are also acknowledged for their support and participation, fostering a sense of community.

Trusty Narrator: "A double order of shout outs to James and Theo in Okotokes, Canada. You wrote in to say you love who Smarted because there are so many cool facts and fart jokes. Yep, guilty as charged. Thanks for smarting with us!" [18:10]

Notable Quotes

• Chet Nickerson: "Same ingredients, same methods, same delicious bagels." [07:44]
• Trusty Narrator: "If you said C kneading, you need to take a bow because you're right." [09:40]
• Chet Nickerson: "Having a hole in the middle makes it easier to cook them all the way through on a consistent basis." [13:39]
• Chet Nickerson: "For egg bagels, we mix egg yolks right into the dough." [15:45]
• Trusty Narrator: "It's gotta be the everything bagel... but number one is blueberry." [16:03-16:35]

Final Thoughts

The "How Are Bagels Made?" episode of "Who Smarted?" masterfully combines storytelling, practical knowledge, and interactive elements to educate young listeners about the beloved bagel. Through engaging dialogue and expert insights from Chet Nickerson, the episode not only explains the intricate process of bagel making but also weaves in fascinating historical anecdotes and fun trivia. This approach ensures that learning is both enjoyable and memorable, embodying the podcast's mission to make education a delightful adventure for kids and families alike.

Transcript

[Trusty Narrator]

Psst. Hey, smarty pants. Wanna play an eating game? Sounds like my tummy wants to play. Okay, you only get one guess, so make it count. Ready? It's breakfast time and I'm about to eat a food with a hole in it. Any guess what it is? Did you say a donut? So close. While I do love donuts, today, I'm ready to nosh on a whole other kind of food. If you said bagels, you just got a hole in one. Get it? It's a golf and a bagel joke.

[Chet Nickerson]

Excuse me, trusty narrator, Chet Nickerson here. I don't mean to interrupt, but you're holding up the line.

[Trusty Narrator]

Chet Nickerson. Are you here to do a news story on Leo's Bagels, my favorite bagel store?

[Chet Nickerson]

No, I'm here because it's actually Chet's Bagels now.

[Trusty Narrator]

Chet's Bagels? You sell bagels?

[Chet Nickerson]

Indeed I do. When I'm not breaking news, I'm breaking bread. So what can I get you?

[Trusty Narrator]

Um, Smartypants, have you ever had a bagel? What kind do you like? Me? I like. I like em all. I'll take a dozen assorted, please.

[Chet Nickerson]

Great. Here's one plane, one sesame, one pumpernickel, one salt, one onion, one garlic, one egg, one cinnamon raisin, one whole wheat, one cheese and one blueberry. Plus one everything bagel to make it 13, what we call in the business a baker's dozen.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, smarty pants. That's a lot of different kind of bagels. How many have you tried?

[Chet Nickerson]

Would you like any spreads? I've got butter, cream cheese, scallion cream cheese, veggie cream cheese, lox spread, cinnamon raisin, cream cheese, sun dried tomato, cream cheese, blueberry cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, bacon, jalapeno, garlic and herb. Or maybe you'd like some smoked fish. I've got lox, sable, sturgeon, whitefish, trout.

[Trusty Narrator]

Yikes, Smarty pants. So many options. What do you like to put on your bagel? Me too.

[Chet Nickerson]

My favorite is the schmear. That's where I take a knife full of cream cheese and just schmear it across a toasted bagel. Oh, I'll take a rainbow bagel with a schmear. Coming right up. Trusty, have you decided?

[Trusty Narrator]

No, but I think we're getting a little ahead of ourselves before me and the smarty pants can decide what to put on our bagels first. We'd love to know how bagels are made, where do they originate, what's the most popular kind, and most importantly, why do they have a hole in the middle.

[Chet Nickerson]

Ooh, I'd like to know that too.

[Trusty Narrator]

Great. Then it's time for another whiff of science and history.

[Chet Nickerson]

On who Smarted who's Smarted? Who's smart? Is it you? Is it me? Is it science or history? Listen up everyone. We make smarting lots of fun.

[Trusty Narrator]

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[Chet Nickerson]

All right, trusty narrator, what do you want to know? First?

[Trusty Narrator]

First, Chet, I gotta ask. What happened to Leo? And how'd you wind up with his bagel store.

[Chet Nickerson]

Oh. Leo retired and moved down to Florida. As for me, I've always loved bagels. I used to come in here every morning when I was doing the morning news. When Leo told me he was thinking of selling, I jumped at it. And that's the whole story.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ha, ha. I get it. Whole story. Bagels have holes.

[Chet Nickerson]

I meant that's the entire story. Not everything's a bagel pun.

[Trusty Narrator]

Sorry. Maybe we should just check out the kitchen.

[Chet Nickerson]

Great idea.

[Trusty Narrator]

Oh, my. That smell. It's truly incredible.

[Chet Nickerson]

I said the same thing the first time I came back here. There's nothing like the smell of fresh bagels in the morning.

[Trusty Narrator]

How many bagels do you make each day?

[Chet Nickerson]

A lot. Do you know how many bagels get eaten every year? Why? In the US alone, around 205 million people will eat a bagel this year.

[Abby]

Whoa.

[Trusty Narrator]

Hey, smarty pants. Any guess which state eats the most bagels? Is it A, New Jersey, B, Colorado, or C, New York? If you said New York, I'm talking to you.

[Chet Nickerson]

They should change it from the Big Apple to the Big Bagel. But New Jersey and Colorado love their bagels, too. And so do people around the world, including Canada, China, Turkey, Ukraine, Japan, Israel, Finland, Poland, and Russia. Although in some of those places, their bagels look and feel a lot different than ours.

[Trusty Narrator]

So how are your bagels made, Chet?

[Chet Nickerson]

Throw on a hairnet and let's find out. The thing about bagels is the process for making them has remained virtually unchanged for hundreds of years. Same ingredients, same methods, same delicious bagels.

[Trusty Narrator]

I see. So what main ingredients go into making bagels? Smartypants, do you think? You know? Is it water, yeast, salt, flour, or malt? I bet a lot of you smarty pants are on to us. All of those ingredients go into making bagels. Nice job.

[Chet Nickerson]

Speaking of jobs, if you look over there, you'll see one of my bakers putting the malt syrup and yeast into a very large bowl of warm water. In just a second, you'll see and hear steam rising from it. We call that stage one. And over here, I've got another baker combining the flour and the salt.

[Trusty Narrator]

Let me guess. Stage two.

[Chet Nickerson]

You learn fast, trusty. Now, over here at this table, you'll notice they are now using big spatulas to combine the ingredients from stages one and two.

[Trusty Narrator]

Whoa. That's the biggest spatula I've ever seen. It almost looks like a shovel.

[Chet Nickerson]

Yes, and soon you'll be shoveling freshly baked bagels into your mouth.

[Trusty Narrator]

You definitely have a way with words, Chet.

[Chet Nickerson]

Next comes the part of the process that requires putting in a little muscle. In fact, if you wash your hands, you can take part in it too. Trusty narrator.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ooh, I'd love that. All right, smarty pants. I'm about to take part in the bagel making process where you smush and work the dough with your hands. Is this called A seeding, B, leading, C kneading, or D reading? If you said C kneading, you need to take a bow because you're right.

[Chet Nickerson]

Once the dough has the right consistency, it's time to break off some smaller pieces and roll them into a ball while dusting it lightly with flour. These dough balls then get put onto a large sheet pan where they are covered with a damp cloth.

[Trusty Narrator]

And that's done to keep the dough moist so it doesn't dry out.

[Chet Nickerson]

Exactly. This process is called proofing.

[Trusty Narrator]

How long do they stay covered up like that?

[Chet Nickerson]

About two hours. When they're ready, it's time to bring everything to a table where bakers roll out the balls of dough and form them into.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ah, smarty pants. What shape is the dough formed into? Did you say a ring? Nice job. But why? Why is there a hole in the middle of a bagel?

[Chet Nickerson]

Yep, that sure is an age old question. I've asked and answered a lot.

[Trusty Narrator]

So does a bagel hole serve an actual purpose or has it just always been done this way?

[Chet Nickerson]

And the answer is coming up right.

[Trusty Narrator]

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[Chet Nickerson]

You didn't hear it on the news. I even reported the story. Anyway, back to bagels. You asked, why do they have a hole?

[Trusty Narrator]

Yes, smarty pants. Any idea? Yeah, me neither, Chet.

[Chet Nickerson]

The answer is it depends who you ask.

[Trusty Narrator]

Huh? How so?

[Chet Nickerson]

The most obvious reason is that because bagels are rather thick, having a hole in the middle makes it easier to cook them all the way through on a consistent basis. If it didn't have a hole, it'd be difficult to tell if the middle was cooked completely for each bagel.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ah, that makes sense.

[Chet Nickerson]

Of course, some of the earliest bagel makers in Poland thought the hole was an easy way to switch stack them up on a dowel or stick in order to transport them.

[Trusty Narrator]

Oh, that also makes sense.

[Chet Nickerson]

As for the round shape, the original bagel makers thought it gave bagels magical powers.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ooh. Okay, that might be a little much. Let's get back to the cooking process. What happens next?

[Chet Nickerson]

Aha. Next comes the part most folks don't know about. Follow me, but be careful. It gets mighty hot in this area.

[Trusty Narrator]

Wow, you're not kidding.

[Chet Nickerson]

To ensure our bagels have the right amount of crustiness on the outside, they're dunked into a large pot of boiling water.

[Trusty Narrator]

Interesting. I always thought they just got baked like bread?

[Chet Nickerson]

Nope. Bagels be boiled. How's that for alliteration?

[Trusty Narrator]

Uh huh. And how long are they boiled for?

[Chet Nickerson]

Oh, only about one or two minutes, depending on how chewy you like them. We flip them over about halfway through so both sides get cooked evenly. And then it's on to what many consider the tastiest stage. Welcome to the flavor table.

[Trusty Narrator]

Oh, yeah, check out all of those bagel toppings. There's sesame and poppy seeds, onion, salt, garlic.

[Chet Nickerson]

Yep. After the flavors have been added, they go into the oven to get baked.

[Trusty Narrator]

What about different types of bagels, like egg or whole wheat? Or those dark brown pumpernickel bagels?

[Chet Nickerson]

For whole wheat, we use whole wheat dough, and for pumpernickel, we use rye and sourdough. For egg bagels, we mix egg yolks right into the dough. And for cinnamon raisin bagels. You guessed it. We add cinnamon and raisins right to the dough.

[Trusty Narrator]

Hey, smartypants, any idea what the most popular bagel is?

[Chet Nickerson]

It's gotta be the everything bagel. It's got everything.

[Trusty Narrator]

That's a good guess, Chet, but it's actually number three on the list. Number two is cinnamon raisin, and number one is blueberry. Wow, I can't imagine the first bagel makers were making blueberry bagels.

[Chet Nickerson]

Blueberry? What is this blueberry?

[Trusty Narrator]

Speaking of, how far back do the origins of bagel making go?

[Chet Nickerson]

Ah, the answer to that, my trusty friend, also depends on who you ask.

[Trusty Narrator]

Interesting.

[Chet Nickerson]

Some say bagels go as far back as the Middle Ages, when the roundish bread became quite popular among migrants from Germany that traveled to Poland. It was similar to what a classic German pretzel looked like. Another version of the story has it that a baker in Vienna, Austria, accidentally created the first bagel in the late 17th century.

[Trusty Narrator]

Accidentally? How do you accidentally invent a bagel?

[Chet Nickerson]

As the story goes, the Austrian baker decided to make a doughy snack as a tribute to Jan Sobieski iii, the King of Poland at the time. Since the king was an admirer of all things equestrian, the baker shaped his dough in the form of a circle and refer to it as a brugel, which is German for stirrup.

[Trusty Narrator]

Ha. That's great. Well, Chet, I'm impressed. For a newsman, you sure know your bagels. I'm sure Leo is smiling knowing you're carrying on his tradition of bagel making.

[Chet Nickerson]

That is very kind of you.

[Trusty Narrator]

Now, if I could just get my order.

[Chet Nickerson]

Sorry, Trusty, there's been a Bigfoot sighting. I gotta get to the scene to report the story back soon. Feel free to hole up here till then.

[Trusty Narrator]

Doh. A double order of shout outs to James and Theo in Okotokes, Canada. You wrote in to say you love who Smarted because there are so many cool facts and fart jokes. Yep, guilty as charged. Thanks for smarting with us you2 this episode. Bagels was written by Dave Domaster Davis and voiced by by Adam Locks Davis, Max Cream Cheese Kamasky and Jerry Colbert. Technical direction and sound design by Josh Holme Hahn. Who's Smarted is recorded and mixed at the Relic Room Studios. Our Associate producer is Max Kamasky. The theme song is by Brian Just a Shmeer Suarez with lyrics written and performed by Adam Tex Davis. Who Smarted was created and produced by Adam Tex Davis and Jerry Colbert. This has been an Atomic Entertainment production.