<P> Though the origins of bagels are somewhat obscure, it is known that they were widely consumed in eastern European Jewish communities from the 17th century . The first known mention of the bagel, in 1610, was in Jewish community ordinances in Kraków, Poland . </P> <P> Bagels are now a popular bread product in North America, especially in cities with a large Jewish population, many with alternative ways of making them . Like other bakery products, bagels are available (fresh or frozen, often in many flavors) in many major supermarkets in those countries . </P> <P> The basic roll - with - a-hole design is hundreds of years old and has other practical advantages besides providing for a more even cooking and baking of the dough: The hole could be used to thread string or dowels through groups of bagels, allowing for easier handling and transportation and more appealing seller displays . </P> <P> Contrary to some beliefs, the bagel was not created in the shape of a stirrup to commemorate the victory of Poland's King John III Sobieski over the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 . </P>

Why do bagels have holes in the middle
find me the text answering this question