From the Build-a-Better-Mousetrap Department comes the latest answer to a question that, according to food conglomerate KraftHeinz, “has haunted cream cheese lovers for far too long.” That question is why bagels have holes that could be “schmeared.” KH’s answer to that supposed problem is the hole-less bagel, or to use the company’s admittedly clever name, the Bagel Whole. (The official name is the “Philadelphia Bagel Whole,” the city reference harking back to the popular cream cheese brand, which HK produces.)
According to a news release, the company has enlisted the support of several leading bagel bakeries, including Steingold’s of Chicago, Starship Bagel Dallas, Rubinstein Bagels in Seattle, St-Viateur Bagel in Montreal, and New York’s own Utopia Bagels in Queens. For a limited time each shop will feature its own signature bagel minus the hole, “providing a first-of-its-kind solution that offers more space to enjoy its only cream cheese spread of choice: Philadelphia.”
Which brings me back to my title question. Is the hole in a bagel a problem for you? It isn’t for me. Maybe that’s because my M.O. is to spread the entirety of the cut surface, including the hole, in a single long stroke. The cream cheese acts as a sort of mortar.
If you’re interested in trying the Philadelphia Bagel Whole, they are available for purchase in-store at the five locations specified above. They can also be ordered from Utopia Bagels via Goldbelly.com.
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