Fairmount and St. Viateur duke it out to be the city's best
by Ginger Jacobs
What is it with Montrealers and our bagels?
In some circles, where you buy this breakfast treat is a thornier issue than religion and politics. We've all been in one of those conversations when otherwise laid-back locals get their hackles up at the mere suggestion that their chosen bakery is not the finest in the world.
Maybe it's because bagels are one of the things Montreal does better than any other city (nuts to you, New York!) They are our deliciously sesame-coated signature. But it's more than just bragging rights; they're our pride and joy. Bagels are to us what "my son the doctor" is to an aging mum with a wallet full of photographs.
Anyone with a pulse in this city knows that the major sibling rivalry is between Fairmount and St. Viateur. Founded in 1949, a full eight years before its rival, Fairmount proudly boasts the title of the oldest bagel bakery in Montreal. Others insist that St. Viateur has always made the quintessential Montreal bagel. We decided it was high time to put this feud to rest. And what better way than with a tried and true taste test?
A Fair Fight
Since it would be impossible to find an impartial jury for this case, we decided to go with another blind taste test (see The Smoked Meat Challenge in our October issue). Eight intrepid guinea pigs were faced with two platters of bagels marked "A" (Fairmount) and "B" (St. Viateur). We decided to use the sesame seed variety; the staple of Montreal bagels. Both batches were purchased at the same time only a few hours previously, to ensure equal freshness. Tasters were asked to have their first few bites plain and un-toasted, adding cream cheese as the tasting went on.
"It's a shandah to make a bad bagel!" Gaby cried before we began, finding the perfect context for use of the Yiddish word for "shame." I could tell from the start that our panel was made up of some very discriminating palates.
Everyone agreed that A (Fairmount) was more doughy and sweeter than B, with a chewy, dense texture. One panellist speculated that A might be made with more eggs. B, on the other hand, was venerated for its harder crust and complex taste. Panellists concurred that B's sesame seeds tasted slightly more toasted and that the bagel as a whole was more smoky.
Even before they knew the bakeries behind A and B, the panel divided fiercely behind their preferred contenders, and even began calling each other out. Shahin observed that A's softness made it more similar to a New York bagel. When Maureen spoke in defence of A, Lara gamely retorted, "why don't you move to New York then," causing the entire room to break out in angry cat sounds.
Bagels are to us what "my son the doctor" is to an aging mum with a wallet full of photographs.
And the Winner is...
Our panel was much more divided over bagels than they had been over smoked meat. Five preferred Fairmount's chewy, sweet taste ("I'm on the A team," cried Giselle when asked for her vote.) Three were in favour of St. Viateur's toasted texture. Gaby, a long-time St. Viateur fan, swore at the outset that he would be able to pick his favourite. "I'm shocked," he remarked when told that he had voted for Fairmount instead.
But despite being in the minority, Lara stood her ground on the B side. "I used to go to Fairmount because it was closer," she admitted. But after tasting the difference, walking the extra block seemed worth it.
"So, we changed your life?" I asked.
"You really have!"
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