An everything bagel is a popular type of bagel, allegedly invented by David Gussin, that includes a large variety of toppings; the exact ingredients depend on the vendor. The bagel itself is usually made using a standard recipe; but instead of only one topping, it is topped with a mixture of several bagel toppings used in the bakery. Poppy seeds, sesame seeds, onion flakes, garlic flakes, pretzel salt, and pepper are all popular toppings that most vendors use on an everything bagel. The everything bagel inspired other bread creations with similar toppings, such as everything bagel chips, everything croissants, everything rolls, everything roti, everything fusilli, and everything hot dog buns. It is offered by many bakeries and fast casual restaurants.
Origin
Although the official origin of the everything bagel is disputed, David Gussin is typically credited for its invention sometime around 1980. Gussin allegedly developed the idea for the everything bagel one day while sweeping up leftover bagel toppings from the oven. Instead of disposing of the leftover toppings, Gussin claims to have saved them in a bin and convinced the store owner to make bagels with them. Gussin recognizes the possibility that others could have invented the famous bagel topping combination before him, however he is adamant that he was the first to coin the name "everything bagel".
Nutrition
The everything bagel typically contains anywhere from 210 to 280 calories per serving consisting almost entirely of carbohydrates. Everything bagels contain about 2 grams of fat consisting of mostly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat. In addition, everything bagels are a source of iron and calcium. The amount of sugar in the everything bagel typically ranges from 4 grams to 9 grams.
Controversy
There are a number of people who have claimed to have invented the everything bagel including American restaurateur Joe Bastianich, American entrepreneur Seth Godin, and sports marketer Brandon Steiner. In his , Seth Godin claims that he invented the everything bagel in 1977, two years before Gussin, while working at a bagel factory. Though Godin's alleged everything bagel predates Gussin's bagel, Brandon Steiner claims to have invented it before anyone else. In 1973 Steiner was hired as a night baker at a local bakery. During one of his night shifts, he claims to have invented the first ever everything bagel. In a 2016 blog post, Steiner writes:
"One night I was screwing around with different combinations of toppings – sesame, salt, poppy, onion and garlic – making braids, onion flats, and other unorthodox concoctions. Then, after a while, I had the thought to throw all the toppings on a bagel at once. That’s how I invented the everything bagel. This was 1973; I was 14."
If Steiner's claim is true, then his everything bagel predates Gussin's everything bagel by 7 years and Godin's everything bagel by 4 years. Though the physical invention of the everything bagel is disputed, there is little to no evidence to support that anyone other than David Gussin coined the term "everything bagel".
