I always felt there was a need for original, authentic light-ingredient bread around Orlando, Florida. Although baking hasn’t been a large part of my career or personal path, I thought it could satisfy a need to build something adventurous and delicious ultimately supporting my special needs son Colin with a fun career option.
I grew up with the scent of your a typical home in Canada, locally made bagels were part of that culture. A typical Montreal bagel purchase required a jaunt over to the east side into the neighborhood of Mile End in the Plateau Mont Royal borough to either St Viateur or Fairmont's storefronts.
That definitive “Montreal-Style” taste stems partially from the semi-boiling in a honey-water bath prior to baking in a wood-fired oven. The difference between a NYC version and a Montreal is a key contention with many hardcore bagel aficionados.
Although the Montreal bagel version is a lesser known style, it’s a very personal relationship that pits these two super giants against each other. The other challenge is that a typically the Montreal version is mainly either sesame seed or poppy seed coated, compared to the truly remarkable variations the NYC bagels bring.
After countless times perfecting a true “Montreal” version in my home, it was with much trepidation that I veered into learning how to develop a NYC bagel in our kitchen. The scent of baking bagels became non-stop if you veered even close to my local. More importantly I grew to re-love what I tasted in so many of those legendary shops in New York City and Montreal way back.
Eight months later a new style emerged, marrying the delicious texture and flavors of NYC with the delicate flavor of a Montreal Bagel. My Wife Cheryl felt like it was a bit of a need to create this hybrid as we are in a very different market. NYC bagels are the pinnacle down here in Florida, let’s be honest… it’s the gold-standard in the United States. The discussion revolving around the type of water, ingredients, perhaps the way that they are made makes a difference I believe.
I feel it is the use of wholesome, simple and healthy ingredients along with time tested hand rolled technique paired with experience baking these little morsels that give us an edge. These elements and a “how high is high” attitude over testing new flavor combinations, and are helping us to build our little business.
The introduction of sourdough bagels really is a game changer for Mont Royal Bagel. The new hybrid bagel paired with an ancient 1867 starter I acquired from San Francisco, helped us to develop our delicious sourdough lineup. In as much as you can’t really compare a Montreal Bagel to a NYC bagel (it’s like apples and oranges) the nuances of flavor and textures in a sourdough bagel are truly unique.
Whatever your preference is, we enjoy baking and improving our relationship with our product by learning what you like. Your input is crucial as we merge a love of great taste matched with texture of our bagels; or “round breads” as our son Colin calls them.
Currently we sell at the Downtown Clermont Farmers Market, to which it is recommended that you preorder for the next Sunday market we will be attending. Typically our selection is limited by about 11 am onwards from in person orders at the farmers market, those that preordered are secure knowing its being held for them.
