First Montreal Bagel

I just had my first Montreal bagel (someone I know paid to have cases of them shipped overnight, from Montréal):

I did appreciate the slightly smoky taste from the wood burning oven, and the variation in surface browning, but they were also a bit sweeter and lighter (less chewy) than I like, so I still prefer the New York style. I may have to try making an unholy hybrid at some point– a New York style bagel cooked over a wood fire… not quite what the gas-grill-BBQ bagels were.

That being said, freshness (within a few hours of when they came out of the oven) has correlated well with bagels-I-love in the past, even in New York, so I’d really need to try a Montreal bagel at the source.