Larger koláč, so called "frgál" (plural frgály), baked at
Valašsko area.
Kolache (also spelled kolace, kolach, or kolacky, from the Czech and Slovak plural koláče) is a type of pastry consisting of fillings ranging from fruits (including poppy seed, raspberry, and apricot) to cheeses inside a bread roll. Originally only a sweet dessert from Central Europe, they have become popular in parts of the United States. Several cities, including Prague, Oklahoma; Caldwell, Texas; and East Bernard, Texas, hold annual Kolache Festival celebrations, while Montgomery, Minnesota, is the "Kolacky capital of the world"[1] and holds an annual festival known as Days. Verdigre, Nebraska, stakes the same claim with a similarly-named festival.[1] Prague, Nebraska, is commonly known as the home of the world's largest kolache. Fayetteville, TX claims the title of "Kolache capital of Texas." Crosby, TX, also has a yearly Czech festival. St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, IA, hosts it annual Kolache Festival the first full weekend in June every year and makes over 600 dozen kolaches to sell at its annual event.
It was the sweet chosen to represent the Czech Republic in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.
In Texas and Oklahoma, several restaurants and bakeries specialize in kolaches. In central Texas the kolache is particularly among Czech Americans in West near Waco[2] and Caldwell, the seat of Burleson County, which holds an annual Kolache Festival the second weekend of September.[3][4] Other communities known for kolaches are Weimar and Schulenburg, Texas, and Wilber, Nebraska, which have considerable Czech ethnic populations too.[5] Kolache Factory is known for pioneering unique flavors like Philly cheesesteak, ranchero, and chocolate cream cheese. Kolaches are sold on the street and in the local Czech bakery. The official "Czech Capital of the United States," Wilber, NE holds the annual Wilber Czech days, during which several thousand kolaches are sold by various town groups and businesses. New York City has joined the list of kolache cities with the opening of Kolache Mama home of New York-style kolaches, on 45th Street in the Roosevelt Hotel.
New York-style strawberry kolache.
A related dish is a klobasnek, which often uses similar bread but is filled with a piece of sausage. These are sometimes mistakenly referred to as kolaches. They may also contain ham and cheese, sausage, jalapeño slices, and more resemble a "pig in a blanket" than the original pastry. There is also a sweet and flaky filled pastry with Polish origins called the Kalach.
American vs. Czech terminology
- Unlike recent American usage, the Czech word "koláče" is a plural word. A single pastry is called a "koláč" or "koláček."
- The term "koláč" in the Czech language simply means any of a variety of cakes, always sweet. But Americans use "kolache" (kolahchkee) to refer to specific types of pastry (the small pastry with filling in the center indentation, or a larger roll with meat[Fact|2009-09-25] and cheese inside[Fact|2009-09-25]).
See also
References
