Sweet buns with jam on a plate on a checkered tablecloth (jirkaejc (123RF))
I was recently talking to one of my favorite AFN DJs and native Texan, Airman Stoker, about kolaches (pronounced ko-LAH-chee). While I grew up in the Palmetto State (aka South Carolina), my sister lives outside of Houston and I indulged in a few kolaches on my last visit. For my Texas friends, you may not realize it, but kolaches can trace their origin to Europe. Let’s explore!
For those unfamiliar with kolaches, they are a delicious ball of yeast dough filled with all kinds of yumminess. Whether you like sweet or savory fillings, you are bound to find one (or more) kolaches to indulge in when visiting Texas. One article we read said kolaches are as Texan as barbeque. You can find them at dedicated kolache bakeries, like the Kolache Factory, or even convenience stores throughout the state.
Kolaches originated in the Czech Republic during the Austro-Hungarian Empire. One story we read goes: A woman, Maminka, was trying to bake bread but kept being interrupted by her daughter, Lebuse. Maminka gave her daughter a piece of dough to keep her occupied. Lebuse flattened the dough, added plums and slipped it into the oven with the other bread that was baking.
A delightful trio of freshly baked pastries, each generously filled with vibrant raspberry jam and topped with a dusting of crumbly streusel. (peteers (123RF))
Her father arrived home for a snack and grabbed Lebuse’s creation. But he accidentally squirted the scalding plum juice on himself and began hopping around the table in pain. Lebuse was entertained by this and cried out “Tatinek is making a wheel!” The original name, koláč, evolved from the Czech kola which translates to wheels or rounds.
More than 9,000 Czech immigrants immigrated to America by the early 1900s, bringing their traditional foods, like koláč, with them.
But can you find kolaches in the Czech Republic today? One source we read described how disappointed she was when discovering they were not as ubiquitous in Prague as they are in Texas, but that may be because the Czech immigrants mostly came from another part of the country where the pastry was more common. Kolaches were adapted over time by the Czech immigrants to suit American tastes and available flavors. The name also adapted to English speakers and became known as “kolaches.” The favorite sausage kolache, according to the article we read, was invented at one immigrant-owned bakery after the owner ate a hot dog and started experimenting. The rest is history!
So, if you find yourself in the Czech Republic or Texas, give these pastries a try!
Editor’s Note: This article was written by a member of the local military community, not an employee of Stars and Stripes. Neither the organization nor the content is being represented by Stars and Stripes or the Department of Defense.
