Overview
Bagels remind Jeremy Marmur of his Polish grandfather, and the time he spent binging on bagels as a boy. Now, years later, he's paying tribute to both his granddad and his love of the Jewish bread with Schmucks Bagels: a new bagel joint set to open in the CBD later this month.
Even if you don't have your own Polish bagel-loving grandfather, Marmur's bagels might conjure up childhood memories of a different kind. Anyone who ever had a Cheesymite Scroll stuffed in their lunchbox will get nostalgic over the Vegemite bagel: a bagel that doesn’t just come with a schmear of Vegemite, but with the stuff swirled right into the batter. Melted cheese on top is a must. Obviously.
As you can see, Schmucks aren't mucking around with their product. Their traditional Polski bagels are steamed rather than boiled, which, according to Marmur, creates a lighter, fuller-flavoured bagel.
"Although our concept is playful, the preparation, research and ingredient sourcing that has gone into creating Schmucks Bagels is far from that," he says.
If, for some reason, you weren't indoctrinated to the cult of Vegemite as a child and it isn't your thing, it looks like there'll be plenty of other options — no matter what you can and can't eat. There will be a gluten free bagel alongside the usual sesame, seed and rye. And as well as smoked chicken, miso salmon and beef brisket, there's an impressive veggie option of grilled cauliflower, carrot, cumin, hummus and pickles. Allpress coffee will also be on offer, as will some salads and sweet things.
Along with chef Simon Winfield, Marmur has teamed up with Tommy McIntosh and Ben Avramides of boutique caterer Tommy Collins to bring his bagels to the bottom end of the city, and beyond.
Schmucks Bagels is due to open behind The William at Shop 9, Guests Lane on Monday, 16 November.