It was, oh, let's just say several decades ago that I first moved to the great state of South Dakota. And it wasn't all that long I was here before someone asked if I'd like to come over for a Kolache or two or three.

My response set them aback a bit.

'A what'?

As it turns out the word 'Kolache' was not bantered about too much in the farmhouse kitchen's of the folks I grew up around in the Leota and Edgerton Minnesota area. Virtually everyone I grew up with was of Dutch heritage (hey, there's a reason Edgerton High School teams are called the 'Flying Dutchmen'). Now, you ask me about a 'rusk' and I got ya covered. But a Kolache?

Well, having spent all these years now in the Sunshine State, I not only learned about the Kolache, I've enjoyed a few over the years. And while I figured this was a uniquely South Dakota favorite, turns out I may have been just a little bit misguided.

While it originated in the Slovak communities of central Europe, you don't have to travel that far to enjoy your own. I'd think the best place to try this tasty treat (or maybe dessert) might be Czech Days in Tabor, S.D. But why not surprise your Thanksgiving guests and add it to the table along with the turkey, green bean casserole and cranberry sauce?

But the question remains: What exactly is a Kolache? Well, one site says it's 'a type of pastry that holds a dollop of fruit, rimmed by a puffy pillow of supple dough'. I'd just add this...they're good!

Oh, and if you'd like to check out exactly what a Kolache is, and would like to make your own, well here's several different recipe's to check out and try.

TravelSouthDakota.com & Wikipedia Contributed To This Article 

 

 

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