A great tutorial on making your own sausage at home, with step by step instructions. A great way to make healthy sausages everyone will love. Hoovers Cooking is honesttogoodness good Texas cooking, offered up for 15 years in the heart of Austin, Texas. Nutritional Information for FastFood Chains Restaurants. Find more nutritional information in CalorieKings 50,000food database. Links. Heres a list of interesting sites pertaining to Slovakia, the Czech republic, our cuisine, travel and traditions. If you know other sites that should be. A Trip Through Kolache History. By Katie Cantrell    Photography by Katie Cantrell. The following is a legend every Central Texan ought to know. These are really good I found this recipe on recipesource, but wanted to move it here so I could find it if I lost it. This recipe is from a lady named Mary S. Veselka. Weighing the ingredients using a kitchen scale is highly recommended over measuring by cups. It will take the guess work out of the recipe because a gram will always. Barbecue recipes, articles about chili and outdoor griling by columnist John Raven. The dough needs to be slightly sticky. I go by the feel. Put butter, sugar, salt, mashed potatoes and scalded milk into a pan and heat until lukewarm. A collection of 436 Breakfast Baked Goods recipes with ratings and reviews from people who have made them. This collection of recipes includes coffee cakes, muffins. Sausage Kolache Recipe' title='Sausage Kolache Recipe' />Long ago, in a corner of the Austro Hungarian Empire now known as the Czech Republic, Maminka was trying to bake bread, but her daughter, Lebuse, kept interrupting her. So Maminka gave her a piece of dough to play with. Happily, Lebuse rolled and flattened her dough, added some plums from the table, and slipped her creation into the oven with the rest of the bread. When her father came in from the fields for a snack, he grabbed Lebuses little cake, which promptly squirted him with scalding plum juice. Crazed with pain, he began hopping around the table in a circle. Lebuse, who found all this very funny, cried out, Tatinek je do kola In other words Tatinek is making a wheel And so the kolachea ball of dough not unlike a slightly sweetish dinner roll filled with fruit or cheesewas born, its name having evolved from the Czech kola, meaning wheels or rounds. Texans also enjoy the sausage kolaches that resemble pigs in ablanket. Either way, kolaches are as Texan as barbecue, sold anywhere from dedicated kolache bakeries, such as Lone Star Kolaches in Austin, to convenience stores on the Interstate. Houstons Kolache Factory has actually franchised the kolache, setting up stores as far away as Indianapolis. These tasty morsels arrived in Texas along with the tens of thousands of Czech immigrants who came through the port of Galveston in the 1. Determined to farm, these new Texans settled mainly in the coastal plain and rich blackland areas of Central Texas, setting up the churches and fraternal organizations that ended up doing such a good job of preserving their heritage. By the latter half of the 2. Czech culture and the kolacheamong them Westfest, in West, and the Caldwells Kolache Festivalhad become popular annual events. Naturally, when my husband and I left for a trip to Prague last summer, I assumed Id find not just kolaches, but authentic, ancestral kolaches. I may be an adoptive Texan, but I know what I like. I envisioned a kolache stand on every corner, a Czech Dunkin Donutsstyle empire. The city itself, with its requisite huge hilltop castles, didnt disappoint. But the kolache situation did. Some bakeries had one or two varieties some had none at all. Some were filled with fruit, poppy seed or cheese, but others were more like square slices of yellow cake with a cream cheese mixture baked on top. Most puzzlingly, given that pork is Pragues most dominant meat, I couldnt find a sausage filled pastry anywhere. I had to return to Texas to find out why. I did this by visiting Georgia Montgomery in her hometown of West. Shes presided over the Village Bakery there for 5. And though shes never been known for her baking prowess, and so gave up trying long ago, she is basically the mother of the retail kolache. And despite her lack of proficiency with flour, shes forgotten more about kolaches than most of us will ever know. Of course we didnt find many kolaches in Prague, she explained. Most of Texass Czech settlersand their kolache recipescame from Moravia, a region many miles further south. Of Moravian descent herself, Georgia grew up in a town now known as the Czech Heritage Capital of Texas. But in those days, a visitor still couldnt buy a decent kolache. Outsiders could only get Czech food if they went to a Czech wedding or church bazaar, or if they could butter up a Czech woman. My sister had friends from school, Georgia remembered, boys who were just friendsshe never went with either of them. Still, they would come over every Saturday and mow the lawn, just for my mother Honeys kolaches. Honeys parents had come through Galveston armed with an excellent recipe, and she was indeed a gifted baker. This was not lost on Georgias husband, a pharmacist named Wendel Montgomery. His brainstorm, like so many other Texas phenomena, owes its spark to high school football. One night after a game, a group of our friends were sitting around having kolaches, Georgia told me. The football coach, H. J. Kozelski, was teasing me for not being a good cook. Unfortunately, he was right. Despite her pastry adept mother, Georgia didnt bake at all. Perhaps this is why the coach dared Georgias husband Wendel to open a Czech bakery. The idea actually made sense to Wendel. If church bazaars could sell hundreds of kolaches in a day, surely the demand existed for retail Czech baked goods. And though not of Czech heritage himselfhe came from old Texas German stock, his family having migrated from Tennessee in the early 1. Czech ways that were starting to fade. So he cleaned out a storeroom next to his drugstore, while Georgia made curtains and painted. Wendel and Honey put their heads together, using her talent and his chemistry background, and remade her family size recipes on a commercial scale. Baking is a science, his daughter Mimi Irwin said. As a chemist, Daddy knew how to work with dough. With cooking, you put a little of this and a little of that together and you have a sauce. If you try to put a little of this and a little of that together when youre making kolache dough, all you get is a mess. The Village Bakery opened for business in 1. Not surprisingly, Honeys traditional kolaches, filled with fruits and herbs indigenous to Czechoslovakia, including apricot, apple, prune, poppy seed, peach and cherry fillings, remain popular. So do the authentic cheese filled pastries. Czechs used everything available on the farm, even the cheese curds, Mimi said. Cottage cheese is to Czechs what feta is to the Greeks. The strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and pineapple varieties added to the menu over the years, however, are concessions to the American palate. When my father got off the boat in Galveston in 1. Georgia remembered. As for the sausage kolache, it was actually invented at the epicenter of the Village Bakery itself. Apparently, the concept came to Wendel while he was eating a hot dog. He and Honey experimented for a while before getting it rightplain or jalapeo sausage and sausage and cheese were both winners, but an attempt at sausage and sauerkraut never made it out of the test kitchen. I dont care how long you drain sauerkraut, Georgia said firmly, it never stops leaking. Wendel went on to trademark his invention under the name klobasniki, a Czech word meaning little sausage. Thanks to this legal protection, anyone can sell a sausage kolache, but only the Village Bakery can sell a klobasniki. If you want oneor any other variety of the original commercial kolache varietiesyoull just have to go to West, because the bakery doesnt ship. George and Wendel once sent a batch to Mimi at UT, via Greyhound bus, but the Montgomerys think road travel compromises the flavors theyve fine tuned for a half century, and they wouldnt dream of using preservatives. If you get there on a Wednesday, say hello to Georgia. Just dont look for her behind a mixer. I still dont bake, she says. I do the books. The best kolaches in the state. HOUSTON, Texas KTRK One of the great things about Texas is the unique cuisine you can only find in the Lone Star State. Croquette Recipe there. Of course, the most famous food is Tex Mex, but the other popular food is the kolache. The kolache was brought to Texas in the 1. Czech immigrants who settled mostly in central Texas towns like Hallettsville, Schulenberg, Moravia and in communities closer to Houston, like Rosenberg and East Bernard. But all food evolves, and what started out as a fruit filled kolache has turned into everything from Pina Colada kolaches to cheeseburger kolaches. While most Texans dont know the story behind kolaches, one thing is clear, Texans love eating kolaches. We took a look at the best kolache bakeries across the state of Texas. If you think we missed a good one, let us knowThe Kolache Shop Clute. In the mood for a pina colada kolache, then the Kolache Shop in Clute is the place for you. Debbie Frakey grew up around her grandmothers baker learning to make authentic pigs in the blankets and kolaches, In 1. Debbie and her parents opened the Kolache Shop in Clute and then expanded in 2. Brazoria. Two Czech Chicks Danbury. Jennifer Martin and Dawn Sykora, are relative rookies to the kolache making business, but dont think that they dont have kolaches in their blood. Jennifer and Dawn are life long friends from West, Texas, the home of two famous Czech bakeries, The Czech Stop and Village Bakery. Dawns husbands Czech grandmother passed on her kolache recipes before she passed away. Jennifer and Dawn opened Two Czech Chicks in Danbury in 2. People drive from all over the county to get there early in the morning. Old Main Street Bakery Rosenberg. Chef Nicolas Maresh is a kolache expert. The native of Rosenberg attended the Culinary Institute of America. Maresh returned to his Czech roots in Rosenberg where he began testing out his famous kolache recipe with his grandmother, according to the bakerys website. Maresh has participated in several panels discussing Texas kolaches and the role of Czech women in the kitchen. The Old Main Street Bakery, also made our viewers choice list for top kolache shops in the Houston area. Vinceks Smokehouse East Bernard. In the history of every great kolache bakery is a Czech grandmother. In this case, its Grandma Tillie Vincek. The bakery is run by Cheryl Vincek Failla. According to the bakery website, Cheryl and her mother learned the art of baking kolaches from Aunt Mary Vincek and Grandma Tillie Vincek. Vinceks Smokehouse also made our Houston area viewers choice list for great kolaches. B Jos Czech Bakery at Praseks Hillje Smokehouse Hillje. Take a ride on 5. El Campo to visit an authentic German bakery with one of the biggest kolache selections we found. Each morning at B Jos Czech Bakery at Praseks Hillje Smokehouse starts with kolache and bread dough being mixed from scratch. One ABC 1. 3 viewer says theyre the best kolaches like moms home cooking Good ole German baking the viewer wrote. Hruskas Ellinger. Located halfway between Austin and Houston, Hruskas Store Bakery pronounced rhoosh kuz has been serving its own tradition of deliciousness for over 1. Theyve got 1. 6 varieties of top notch kolaches, and viewers say theyre worth the stop. Theyve also got the pigs in a blanket that many of you love, as well as burgers and more breakfast foods. Chappell Hill Bakery Chappell Hill. The family run establishment located in Chappell Hill has some of the best fruit and sausage kolaches around. Chappell Hill Bakery is a big, orange building that sits on the south side of Highway 2. Chappell Hill, just a few miles east of Brenham. Make sure you come hungry because customers also rave about Chappell Hill Bakerys BBQ. The Original Kountry Bakery Schulenberg. Started by Clarence and Evelyn Besetsny in Schulenberg. Their website says Evelynss Czechoslovakian heritage and Clarences German roots provided the perfect nucleus of delicious pastries and a driving work ethic that prospered into what is now the Kountry Bakery. They opened their first bakery on Hwy 7. Schulenburg. They opened a second bakery in 1. Hallettsville. In addition to Kolaches, they also offer cakes, pies and apple strudel. Weikels La Grange. Weikels story begins in 1. Bon Ton Caf. Old time Texans remember this spot and a place to get a good chicken fried steak. The family sold the Bon Ton in 1. Jim and Jo Ann Weikel started the bakery that would become Weikels. Jo Anns grandmother emigrated from Czechoslavakia as a child and passed on secret techniques that are responsible for Weikels kolach dough today. In addition to Kolaches, Weikels also offers, cookies, rolls, cakes and pies. Village Bakery West. The Village Bakery in West, Texas claims to be the The first all Czech bakery in Texas. Started in 1. 95. Wendel and Georgia Montgomery. Signature items include the kolache, klobasniki, strudel and buchta. Their website says Wendel was deemed The Central Texas Godfather of Kolaches and was responsible for the first marketing of Czech baked goods on a commercial level. Their other claim to fame, is the invention of the sausage kolache. Wendel trademarked his invention under the name klobasniki Czech for little sausages. Czech Stop West. The Czech Stop in West, Texas is a perennial list topper for best kolaches in Texas. Located on I 3. 5, its a frequent stop for motorists traveling between Waco and Dallas, But, be prepared to wait in line. Here is a list of our viewers choices for best kolaches in the Houston area. Some of the kolache shops on our state list, also made the Houston list. Mornings Kolaches. Mornings Kolaches was one of the favorites because they serve the authentic kolaches many of you prefer. Theyve got several fruit flavors to choose from. Theyve also got the standard breakfast meats and cheeses too, if thats what you like. There are five locations in the Houston area Clear Lake, La Porte, Deer Park, Friendswood, and Pasadena. B Jos Czech Bakery at Praseks Hillje Smokehouse. Take a ride on 5. El Campo to visit an authentic German bakery with one of the biggest kolache selections we found. Each morning at B Jos Czech Bakery at Praseks Hillje Smokehouse starts with kolache and bread dough being mixed from scratch. One ABC 1. 3 viewer says theyre the best kolaches like moms home cooking Good ole German baking the viewer wrote. Hruskas. Located halfway between Austin and Houston, Hruskas Store Bakery pronounced rhoosh kuz has been serving its own tradition of deliciousness for over 1. Theyve got 1. 6 varieties of top notch kolaches, and viewers say theyre worth the stop. Theyve also got the pigs in a blanket that many of you love, as well as burgers and more breakfast foods. The Kolache Factory. There are dozens of Kolache Factory locations around town, but if your out of state friends and family need a kolache fix, theyre in luck The Kolache Factory ships their goodsMake sure to join their Kolache Klub, and youll be the first to get coupons and special offers. Chappell Hill Bakery. The family run establishment located in Chappell Hill has some of the best fruit and sausage kolaches around. Chappell Hill Bakery is a big, orange building that sits on the south side of Highway 2. Chappell Hill, just a few miles east of Brenham. Make sure you come hungry because customers also rave about Chappell Hill Bakerys BBQ. Donut Haven. You may know Donut Haven by its old name Donut Heaven. The shop is at Beamer and Hughes and opens up early at 4 3. People also rave about the breakfast tacos here, so maybe try a little bit of both Old Main Street Bakery. Take a drive out to Rosenberg in Fort Bend County and try the kolaches at Old Main Street Bakery Just make sure you dont make the trip on a Monday or Tuesday theyll be closed. An ABC1. 3 viewer says the bakery uses an old fashioned true kolache recipe.