The next photo is the PROMPT. Remember, all photos are property of the photographer, donated for use in Friday Fictioneers only. They shouldn’t be used for any other purpose without express permission. It is proper etiquette to give the contributor credit.
PHOTO PROMPT © Fleur Lind
This week’s photo shows a brick enclosure with an opening in the wall that looks like a large keyhole leading to another brick enclosure. Streaks of light seem to be coming through the perhaps grass ceiling. There are large stones on the ground and a bird bath in the right corner. It also looks like there are other little treasures on the ground.
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Genre: Historical Fiction
Word Count: 100
THE HOLE STORY
Eleven-year-old Murray breathed in the aroma of his father’s wares in the Lenders’ Connecticut bakery as he strung them on a length of twine. Tomorrow morning, Sunday, customers would line up to buy the roll with the hole for breakfast. A little pleasure to start the week and forget the horror in his parents’ native Poland.
“Pop, your bagels are the best.”
Harry pinched Murray’s cheek. “One day all this will be yours.”
In 1963 Murray and his brothers, Marvin and Sam introduced Lender’s frozen bagels to the supermarkets. The bagelization of America had begun. Please pass the cream cheese.
ENJOY!
Rochelle Wisoff-Fields-Addicted to Purple 
Hi, Rochelle. Very interesting! Those bagels are so yummy 😋
Very interesting story indeed… 👍
Enjoy your day! ☺️
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Dear Aptivi,
Bagels go beyond the Lenders but they are the ones who made them accessible to the general public in America. Thank you for your lovely comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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That’s great to know about that. 👍
And you are most welcome. Enjoy your wonderful day! ☺️
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Hi Rochelle…can you please add my link when the linky opens? It is here Friday fictioneers 15th May – Therapy Bits thanks…
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Hi Carol Anne,
Oops. I set the opening for pm instead of am. Sorry. It’s open now. You can go ahead and link.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Yum. Passes the smoked salmon along with the cream cheese
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Dear Neil,
Not sure why this went to my spam folder. At any rate, there’s nothing better than smoked salmon with the bagel and cream cheese. Yum indeed. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Nice little bit of cultural history! We are sadly not a mecca for fresh bagels here in Fairbanks- but there are always Lender’s!
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Dear Violet,
As a child growing up in the Midwest US the only people in my city who even knew about bagels were Jewish. I do remember Lender’s coming out with frozen ones. They were really good toasted. But they weren’t as great as ones we got at the Kosher deli. 😉
Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Don’t forget the lox.
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Never, James. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love these little sinppets of history 🙂 And I love me a good bagel with cream cheese!
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Dear Linda,
The only thing better than a bagel with cream cheese is bagel with cream cheese and Lox. 😉 I do like my bagels toasted with peanut butter. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I’ve never had Lox. I just looked it up. I love salmon, but the description mentioned that it’s very salty, never smoked; also, that some prefer what is called Nova Lox, which reduces the salt and smokes it just a tiny bit. I’ve never seen this in my grocery stores, but maybe I just didn’t know where to look. Do you get it at a deli?
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You can find lox at the deli or deli department of the grocery stores. It is very expensive and very salty. I’ve been making my own for years now.
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Bagels are too heavy for me, although honestly I’m a disgrace to my homeland because I rarely eat bread at all. I love the idea of the bagels bringing a good piece of their home to the US while leaving the pain behind as far as possible.
Lovely as ever, Rochelle.
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Dear Jen,
I conside bagels part of my history. 😉 I’m now resigned to eating gluten free bagels. They are quite tasty so I’m not too deprived. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Delicious!
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THank you, Mary!
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Rochelle, as a bagel lover, it sounds like heaven to grow up in a house where you dad made them. What a lovely picture this week too. I’m looking forward to seeing what inspiration this brings out in our group.
Have a great week!
-David
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Dear David,
I’m glad you enjoyed my story. The picture is unique, isn’t it? Here’s to bagels with a shmear. L’chaim.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I have to confess that I’m less a fan of bagels than I am of your stories, m’lady!
You won’t be surprised to learn that I prefer a croissant.
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Dear C.E.
Nope, no surprise. 😉 Glad you’re a fan of my stories. The bagels can take care of themselves. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Dear Rochelle,
Now I have a hankering for a bagel with cream cheese, lox, capers, some marinated shallots… sigh.
A lovely bit of history shared within the lines of a story. You do excel at these, my friend.
Shalom and lotsa hungry for bagels love,
Dale
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Dear Dale,
You are a woman after my own heart. Marinated shallots? I’ll have to try that.
Glad you enjoyed the history lesson. It’s always to challenge to zero in on one particular bit to cram into a hundred words. 😉
Shalom and lotsa bagels and lox lovin’ hugs,
Rochelle
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I have to marinate them because raw… no longer my friend. Somehow a short(ish) bath in vinegar, salt and ice cubes takes the edge off.
And yet, you do it so well 🙂
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I love bagels!! Yum… mm… so moreish (smiling).
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Dear Chris,
What’s not to love about a bagel? 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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So that’s where they came from – I love them! I like the word bagelization too!
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Dear Keith,
Since my maternal grandparents came from Poland I feel a kinship to the bagel. 😉 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Another interesting snippet of history. Food from home can help a lot with the homesickness.
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Dear Gabi,
Food is a great comfort at times, isn’t it? There are certain foods that just remind us of childhood and home. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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who knew what that hole in a roll would become. I love mine well toasted, buttered and a slice of cheese. Yum!
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Dear Jan,
I knew it was you. The slice of “cheese” gave you away. 😀 Thanks m’luv.
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Oh, I didn’t know that. Bagels are so good with eggs .. 🙂 𖡼.𖤣𖥧𖡼.𖤣𖥧
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Dear Lily,
Oh, they are great with eggs. 😀 Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great piece of history Rochelle – and I do like a bagel but can only get them packed in plastic bags I’m sure a freshly baked one is more delicious 😊
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Dear Angela,
It’s been a long time since I had a freshly baked bagel. And these days I’m resigned to gluten free varieties. I’m not suffering. They’;re still great with cream cheese and lox. Thank you.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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🤩
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Another great historic piece, Rochelle. You can’t beat a good bagel! We have a number of bagel shops in the village where I live, but there’s always a bag of Lenders in my freezer …. just in case. Thanks for a great read.
Shalom,
🕊️
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Dear Nancy,
Gotta love the bagel and its humble origins. These days I resign myself to the frozen gluten free varieties. Which is not to say I’m suffering. 😉 Thank you for your lovely comments.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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The story of Bagels! Yum. Oooo toasted with cream cheese… now I’ve made myself hungry 😋 a nice story Rochelle
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Dear Laurie,
Yes. Indulge yourself. Thank you for your savory comment.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I grew up in what I call “the Maryland suburbs of DC”. One of my best friends from high school is Jewish and she turned me on to bagels when I was 15. I moved to Virginia as a VERY young bride to a VERY rural area. Early on I called into town at the Safeway and asked if they had any bagels. They didn’t know what they were. I gave a heavy sigh and said “if you have any, they would be in the frozen food section”. They didn’t, and that evening I asked my husband “What kind of God-forsaken place have you moved me to?”
Okay, maybe a little dramatic but, come on! (lol)
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Dear Dawn,
Ooooh, what a delicious story. 😉 Growing up in the Midwest, none of my gentile friends had a clue what a bagel was. Barbarians!
I’m sure your rural neighbors had no clue what lox was either. Thank you for the share.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love your take on the prompt. Born and raised in NYC, frozen bagels may not be the best, but I was overjoyed when Lender’s Bagels suddenly appeared in HARRIS TEETER in Virginia!! They taste like home, more than the handmade ones they sell around here. Now, pass the cream cheese and the lox (I get confused looks here when I ask for lox, they call it “smoked salmon”).
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Dear Michele,
I understand completely. My dad was from Brooklyn and moved to the Midwest when he met and married my mom during WW2. He never quite adjusted. Missed his seltzer (which I love).
I have a recipe for Lox that’s very much like what they eat in Israel. Not smoked at all, but brined in Kosher salt, sugar and vodka with dillweed mixe in. Tasty.
Thank you for sharing your story. Glad you enjoyed my story.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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I love bagels, especially blueberry. One time, I bought a bag of bagels, and the cashier asked if I was from the East Coast. I had never considered bagels a coast-specific delight.
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