The bagel

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Who

Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Poland, where the bagel developed as a traditional bread

When

early 17th century

Where

Poland (Kraków region)

The bagel is a boiled-then-baked ring of bread that developed within the Ashkenazi Jewish communities of Poland, with one of the earliest written mentions in the 1610 community regulations of Kraków. Jewish immigrants carried it to North America, where it became a beloved everyday food far beyond the Jewish world.

Part of “The Gifts of the Jews” — verified Jewish contributions to the world, with sources.