Bagelmania

Bagels-Montreal-REALLife is like a bagel. It can be wonderfully fresh and warm, but it can also be hard – Jewish saying.

It’s been called the cement doughnut – admittedly not a very prepossessing sobriquet – and the longstanding divide in the world of bagels is the argument over whether New York or Montreal bakers make the best ones.

Now you might think, what is there to discuss – after all, a bagel is a bagel. But you’d be wrong. Continue reading

Rooting for Ginger

Ginger-OD

Ginger ale and ginger beer might be non-alcoholic today, but it began in the 19th century as a sprinkling of ground ginger root in the real thing. It was thought to help “settle” the stomach. In fact, it does. The Chinese have used ginger root for this purpose for centuries and it appears in the writing of Confucius. It can also be found in the Koran, where it is referred to as a spiritual and a heavenly herb. And you can actually buy a ginger antinauseant made by Gravol. Continue reading