It was just over 300 years ago, in 1683, when the countries of Europe were a target for expansion of the Turkish Empire. Over 140,000 Turks descended upon Vienna to overthrow Austria. The king of Austria sought help from their neighbor and friend King John III Sobieski of Poland. King John agreed and with an army of only 74,000 succeeded in saving the city of Vienna. To celebrate the victory and to honor the Polish King John III Sobieski, a baker created a roll in the shape of a stirrup commemorating the military skills and horsemanship of the king. The roll was called a Beugel, which is German for stirrup.The delicious Beugel, with its unique character and calling, soon spread throughout Central Europe – especially in Poland which had a large Jewish population. As the people of Europe sought new life and freedom in America, they brought their ethnic traditions with them including, of course, the Beugel as a celebration of freedom. Soon, Beugel bakeries began appearing in New York City and, as you’d expect, the name was shortly Americanized to Bagel. So enjoy your Bagel – a tradition of our forefathers – an honor to the Polish King Sobieski – a remembrance of freedom… To get more insider information from the Bagel Grove, make sure you sign up to receive our emails and get $5 off your first order!