Q 01/05

Bagels originated in the Jewish communities of which country?

A) Poland

B) Germany

C) Russia

D) Hungary

Answer · why

A) Poland

The earliest known written mention is in Kraków's Jewish community regulations of 1610.

Q 02/05

What cooking step, done before baking, gives a traditional bagel its chewy interior and shiny crust?

A) Steaming

B) Boiling

C) Deep-frying

D) Grilling

Answer · why

B) Boiling

Each ring gets 60 to 90 seconds in water that may contain lye, baking soda, barley malt or honey.

Q 03/05

Which two seeds are the traditional toppings baked onto a bagel's crust?

A) Chia and flax

B) Sunflower and pumpkin

C) Poppy and sesame

D) Caraway and fennel

Answer · why

C) Poppy and sesame

Salt grains are the other classic option; garlic and onion flakes joined the mix later and were eventually combined into the everything bagel.

Q 04/05

The classic New York 'bagel brunch' tops a bagel with cream cheese and which cured fish?

A) Herring

B) Sardines

C) Anchovies

D) Lox

Answer · why

D) Lox

The combination, with capers, tomato and red onion, caught on in New York around 1900 and has never let go.

Q 05/05

What is the traditional shape of a bagel, in the language of geometry?

A) A sphere

B) A torus

C) A cylinder

D) A helix

Answer · why

B) A torus

The hole is practical as well as pretty: it lets the dough cook evenly and lets bakers string dozens on a dowel for carrying and display.