Sunday, August 4, 2013

Kolache

Wilber, Nebraska's, "Czech Capitol of the USA", holds a Czech heritage festival during the first weekend of August, yearly.  On Saturday, my uncle donned a traditional vest and drove me, my mom, his roommate and his roommate's mom to see what there was to see.

Arriving in town, we carried our camp chairs to my uncle's preferred, "spot", then went for some Jaternice (or similar), planning to return for the two hour-long parade.  

I was hit by two things during that parade- a blue novelty necklace, and a poppy seed kolache, (pictured).

According to Wikipedia: 
Kolache /kɵˈlɑːi/ (also spelled kolacekolach, or kolacky, from the Czech and Slovakplural koláče, sg. koláč) is a type of pastry that holds a dollop of fruit rimmed by a puffy pillow of supple dough.[1] Originating as a semisweet wedding dessert from Central Europe, they have become popular in parts of the United States.



Mom and I recalled how my grandmother, (descended from natives of the Province of Moravia) would make kolache, rohlik, (traditional bread) and rye bread.  Poppy seed was the preferred filling, but prune, cherry, or apricot (from her trees) were also popular.  Cream cheese filling was not...

Grandma made kolache dough with egg, brushed with melted butter, sprinkled with poppy seeds.  And in the rye bread- real molasses and caraway seeds, (from certain sources).