National Bagel and Lox Day

The New York style bagel and lox

A traditional Jewish American dish, bagel with lox is a quintessentially New York style dish which can generally be found in many New York deli’s plus a number of other food places that have now accepted the popularity of this delicious meal.

History of Bagels and Lox

Bagels have been around since 17^th century Poland, and it was around this time that bagels became part of the Jewish tradition as at the end of the Sabbath a quick bagel could be baked up ready to eat. Lox, a sliced and cured salmon, is something that has been around since the 1800s when salmon became more of a commodity when barrels of this cured fish began being shipped to the east coast of the USA.

Bagels and lox were brought together during the 20^th century and it wasn’t until after the 1950s that bagels and lox could be found anywhere else other than a New York deli. Not just a tasty sandwich, bagels and lox is also know to have significant meaning – the bagel representing the circle of life and the lox representing the saltiness of tears.

Nowadays, the bagel and lox tradition is probably so popular because it can be eaten at breakfast, lunch and dinner, making it a wholly versatile meal which is full of rich flavours and wholesome textures. National Bagel and Lox day is a great day to try it if you haven’t already, and you’re sure to love it if you like both of its main ingredients – bagels and salmon!

How to Prepare Bagel and Lox

Bagels and lox is a traditional dish but it has a good place in society today. When preparing it, always ensure that the lox is the most prominent flavor. You will need:

• Plain Bagel
• Cream Cheese
• Lox
• Capers
• Red onion (rings)

1. Slice the bagel in half and place in a toaster. Once cooled, spread both sides with cream cheese.
2. Top the two sides of the bagel with a couple of slices of the lox.
3. Place a couple of red onion rings on top and scatter with a few drained capers for additional complementary flavours. Eat as two separate slices rather than placing the two together like a sandwich – it’s more delicate and you can enjoy it for longer!

Alternative Bagels and Lox Recipes

Although there isn’t a ‘correct’ way of making bagels and lox, some people can get very angry if you don’t do it the right way! If you like to try lots of varieties of foods however, bagels and lox can still be experimented with. Try these:

• Gorgonzola Bagels and Lox
• Scrambled Eggs and Lox Breakfast Bagels
• Bagel, Lox and Egg Strata
• Onion Bagel and Lox

With these varieties you don’t need to restrict yourself, just try different flavors to see which brings out the taste of the lox best and you’ll soon have a new favorite bagel dish.