Larger koláč, so called "frgál" (plural frgály), baked at
Valašsko area
Slavski kolač, has an important role in the celebration of the
Serbian Slava.
Kolache preparation in bakery
A
koláč (
Czech pronunciation: [ˈkolaːtʃ]; diminutive:
koláček; plural:
koláče),
kolač (
Serbo-Croatian pronunciation: [ˈkolatʃ]; diminutive:
kolačić; plural:
kolači); Polish
kołacz, known in English variously as
kolache or
kolace /kɵˈlɑːtʃi/,
kolach /ˈkoʊlɑːtʃ/, or
kolacky /kɵˈlɑːtʃki/,
[1] is a type of
pastry that holds a dollop of fruit rimmed by a puffy pillow of supple dough.
[2] Originating as a semisweet wedding dessert from
Central Europe, they have become popular in parts of the
United States. The word
kolache (колаче) itself means 'a small cookie' in
Macedonian.
[edit] Kolache Celebrations
Several cities, including
Prague, Oklahoma,
Caldwell, Texas,
[3] East Bernard, Texas, and
St. Ludmila's Catholic Church in
Cedar Rapids, IA, hold annual Kolache Festival celebrations.
Montgomery, Minnesota, claims to be the "Kolacky capital of the world"
[4] and holds an annual festival known as Kolacky Days.
Verdigre, Nebraska, stakes the same claim with their Kolache Days.
[5] Prague, Nebraska, claims to be known as the home of the world's largest kolache.
West, Texas, claims the title of "Kolache Capital of Texas."
Still other communities in the United States hold
Czech-American festivals, where kolaches may be found.
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.
[edit] Bakeries
In
Texas, many
restaurants and
bakeries specialize in kolaches. In central Texas the kolache is particularly widespread among
Czech Americans as well as their respective local communities, such as
West [6] and
Caldwell,
[6] Many other communities known for kolaches such as
Weimar and
Schulenburg, Texas, have a considerable Czech ethnic population.
Shipley's Donuts, a popular Texas donut chain, as well as other donut shops provide kolaches.
[7]
New York-style strawberry kolache.
[edit] Related dishes
A related dish is a
klobasnek or klobasniki, which often uses similar bread but is filled with a piece of sausage. Purists assert that these are mistakenly referred to as kolaches.
[2] They may also contain ham and cheese, sausage,
jalapeño slices, and resemble a "
pig in a blanket"
[edit] See also
[edit] References