Is New York Water the Secret to Great Bagels? — Gotham Bagels (2024)

FAQs

Does New York water really make bagels better? ›

a regular bagel is the water you boil them in. Much like a specific vineyard terroir is used to make a wine, certain minerals in New York City tap water are attributed to creating the best bagels. These include low concentrations of calcium and magnesium and a high level of sediment.

New York is one of just five cities in the United States that does not need its water to be filtered, and this lack of filtration lends the water its unique flavor. The water contains natural deposits of calcium, magnesium and sodium, and it is treated with chlorine to kill bacteria.

Beyond the taste though (and most importantly for our pizza and bagels) the difference in water also has an effect on the gluten in dough. The presence of calcium and magnesium in hard water strengthens the gluten in the dough, making the finished product tougher and stronger.

The color of New York-style bagels is primarily achieved through the Maillard reaction, which occurs when proteins and sugars in the dough are exposed to heat. However, ingredients such as brown sugar, malt, and molasses can also contribute to their distinctive golden brown hue.

Our water contains ideal quantities of calcium and dissolved minerals, which causes a process called “the calcium-ion effect” to kick in and strengthen the wheat protein, producing the chewy texture New Yorkers had come to expect.

If you're looking for an iconic pairing, go for a bagel with plain cream cheese and lox (smoked salmon) – it's the quintessential New York Bagel sandwich.

New York City water quality is some of the best in the United States, according to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. They refer to NYC water as the “Champagne of drinking water”. NYC water is remarkable in that it is the largest drinking water system in the U.S. that remains unfiltered.

Leading the country in water quality was Kentucky with a score of 768 points. Louisville Water actually trademarks its water, known as Louisville Pure Tap®. Washington, New York, Oregon, and Kansas were close behind Kentucky in the rankings.

York Water Company compliance with legally mandated federal standards: From April 2019 to March 2021, York Water Company complied with health-based drinking water standards.

“By and large in the testing we've seen and analyzed to date, it does quite well.” Still, it doesn't crack the top 10. New York City came in 13th place among the 100 metropolitan areas included in the EWG's most current rankings.

Is NYC tap water better than bottled water? ›

NYC water is clean, safe and (many people say) the best-tasting anywhere – tap or bottled. For all Health Bulletins, visit nyc.gov and search for Health Bulletins.

i-Ready Diagnostic has Response to Intervention (RTI) screening reports that categorize students into three colors: green is on track, yellow identifies Tier 2 students, and red identifies students in danger of being Tier 3. There are three screening reports: beginning-of-year, standard, and end-of-year.

i-Ready is designed to support the active role of classroom teachers by equipping them with accurate, actionable, and easily accessible data that provides rich insight into student learning, as well as tools to inform their small group instruction and differentiation.

The Key to a Real New York Bagel

New York bagels get boiled prior to baking, defining their special texture in a solution of water and barley malt. A long boil and thicker crust inhibit rising, resulting in a dense interior while a short boil yields a crusty yet chewy bagel bite.

These ingredients are mixed with Jersey water. Why is the water in New Jersey so important to the end product? Jersey has soft water that contains a low concentration of minerals. This allows for the perfect baking chemistry when mixed with the flour's high concentration of proteins.

A New York–style bagel is always boiled in water that has had barley malt added, which gives a bagel its signature taste, texture, and leathery skin.

Explanation: The primary characteristic that makes New York-style bagels unique among other bagels is that they are boiled before they are baked. This distinctive preparation method gives New York style bagels their iconic chewy texture and slightly shiny surface.

Water Bath.

Boiling bagels gives the finished bagel their signature shine. By adding sugar and baking soda into the water it helps develop more flavour and deeper colour. The boiling cooks the outer layer of the bagel and helps it maintain its shape during the baking process.