(Update: Happy April's Fool's Day! Though the history in this article is real, there is no Isaac and Patricia, and no plans to open a Bagel Tavern. However, I actually like the concept, which could work for a pop-up, and I'd love to see Montreal-style bagels being made in the Boston area.)
I've recommended time and time again that local food writers should attend the Seafood Expo North America (SENA) because it is such a fertile ground for fascinating stories. This year at the Expo, I never expected, with all the tales of fish and other seafood, that I would learn about a Bagel Tavern!
While sampling a Scottish smoked salmon, I entered into a conversation with another person enjoying the silky salmon. Isaac Marwitz, who lives in Brookline, has worked in the hotel industry for about twenty-five years, including seven years in Montreal. His wife, Patricia, has been involved in the publishing business, and both of them are now ready for a career change.
They've decided to seek deep into their Jewish roots, and resurrect a concept from when their grandparents lived in Poland. They want to reconceptualize the Bagel, to alter its current image as a breakfast/brunch item. They hope to make this change by establishing a Bagel Tavern in Brookline! Bagels & Booze? That sounds like a bizarre idea but it actually has historical precedents, and I've written about them before, in my article Water Doughnuts: Some Bagel History.
In the book The Bagel: The Surprising History of a Modest Bread by Maria Balinska, it states: "The bagel was a regular fixture not only in the marketplace but also in the adjoining arena of the tavern." Baliska continues, "Bagels were popular tavern fare. Jewish immigrants to the United States recall parents making bagels to be served at the inn: ‘An onion, schnapps and a bagel’ would have been a typical order." And she also writes: "For adults, the inn provided a rare venue for recreation and relaxation, a place to enjoy a drink and a bagel."
Why did this change? How did bagels travel from the tavern to the breakfast plate? The answers don't seem to be known but I'm fascinated by the idea and think that Isaac and Patricia may have a great idea. They are planning to try to raise funds for their bagel tavern through Kickstarter, which is planned for a May debut. They will be seeking to raise $100,000 and are still working out all the various Reward levels. Would you support this idea? I think you should.
Isaac provided me a few details of their plans, with the caveat that nothing is definite yet as they are still honing the concept. The basic idea is that their Bagel Tavern will be a craft cocktail bar with bagels being the centerpiece of their lunch and dinner menus. There will also be lots of Salmon. Some of their recipes will be traditional Jewish dishes, but others will be their own modern spin on the classics. They also hope to produce their own bagels rather than purchase them elsewhere.
The tentative name for their new restaurant is MoBaTa, which stands for MOntreal BAgel TAvern, as they plan to primarily showcase Montreal-style bagels. They feel there are more than enough New York-style bagels in the Boston area and that Montreal bagels don't get enough respect, despite having a history as long as New York style bagels. I have to agree, as I've long been a fan of Montreal bagels, but have often lamented that it is so difficult to find them locally.
Consider the possibilities at a bagel tavern. A Manhattan and a Rye Bagel? A Martini and an Olive Bagel? A Long Island Iced Tea and an Everything Bagel? Maybe some Pinot Noir with a Bagel & Lox? It boggles the mind.
Break out of your breakfast bagel mode! Stop being locked into your assumptions about bagels and be open to the possibilities, especially when they have historical precedent. There is life beyond the New York style bagel! When their Kickstarter begins, I hope you'll consider contributing to their endeavor.
Give a Bagel a new home, out of the usual bakery and into a tavern!
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