The kitchen smells like dough, yeast and “everything” seasoning, a glorious combination for a bagel lover like me. I’m at Ruby’s Bagels in Washington Heights, shadowing cult bagel-maker Daniela “Ruby” Varela ahead of her brick-and-mortar’s May opening. Varela is showing me what goes into making the bagels named by Bon Appetit in 2023 as some of the best in the country.
It’s time to pick your Milwaukee favorites for the year!
The day begins around 4:30 a.m. with boiling, seasoning and baking bagels from dough made the day earlier. To my left, a massive pot of water is coming to a rolling boil, and the industrial ovens are preheating. But the kitchen remains cool, which Varela says is vital to getting the bagels just right. “I say they’re spoiled and boiled. The water has to be right, the air moisture has to be perfect.”
Each day, the Ruby’s team – Varela’s mom and aunt, Eva Campos and Lupe Wagner – makes 400 to 800 bagels, all by hand. Varela pitches in too, when she has time. (These days, she’s staying busy on the business side of things.)
Inspired by a shop in Cleveland she found while traveling, Varela launched Ruby’s from scratch. The self-taught baker sold first at pop-ups before she got her break as one of the original vendors at Zócalo Food Park. “[The food truck] gave me the chance to create this beautiful community,” she says.
Boiling the bagels ahead of baking is an important step, as it ensures a crispy, shiny crust and a chewy interior. I watch Varela gently drop a dozen or so dough rings into a wide, shallow pot of boiling water – they get 35-40 seconds on each side. Next, they’re ready to be brushed with the “secret sauce” (a clear, cornstarch-based liquid) and dipped in the seasonings before going into the oven.
While Varela’s mom and aunt take over the process from there, we move to the next day’s bagels. To make the dough, Varela starts by mixing the sponge – yeast and flour – with lukewarm water, then adds flour, sugar and salt.
The mixer, nearly as tall as she is, thumps and thuds for 15 minutes. Cutting and shaping the dough come next. To make the characteristic shape, she pokes a hole with her thumb through the middle and spreads it out a bit. Meanwhile, today’s bagels are baking in the oven – the scent is heavenly!
Varela sends me home with one of the warm just-baked treats. As soon as I step outside, I take a big bite, bits of everything seasoning flying everywhere. Crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, it’s just what I’d hoped for – the freshest, most delicious bagel I have ever eaten.
Ruby’s Bagels
5513 W. NORTH AVE.
Wed-Sun 7 a.m.-2 p.m.
Six types of bagels, and hot bagel sandwiches.
Plus, drip coffee from Ruby Coffee Roasters of the Stevens Point area.
