Whenever you visit Caldwell, there are two things you need to know.
One, "Jak se mas" means hello in the Czech town and two, the kolaches are incredible.
"We're the Kolache Capital of Texas," said Louemma Polansky with the Caldwell Kolache Festival.
Situated in the middle of the highest Czech population in Texas, Caldwell is known around the world as the place to go for a kolache. That's why every September the Kolache Festival brings in thousands to the small Texas town.
"The Czech ethnic groups are very happy type people and they show it. They let the happiness out on that day and most of the time for that matter," said Bernard Rychlik, the mayor of Caldwell.
Rychlik has a not so big secret.
"I've never met a kolache that I didn't like," joked Rychlik.
And it's no wonder, because there is a flavor for everybody.
Cream cheese, poppy seed, raspberry cream cheese, apricot, apple, prune, strawberry, pineapple, cherry, lemon, raspberry and peach. In all, there are 12 different kinds of kolaches but each and every one of them is a hot seller.
"Last year there was 4,000 dozen sold," said Polansky about the 2009 Kolache Festival.
That's just in one day. But every day, the Kolache Capital Bake Shop welcomes folks from all over the world. The bakery's comments book has visitors from Germany, Russia, Denmark, and yes even the Czech Republic. In all, people from 53 nations around the world and all 50 states have been in this store.
"You have people from Czechoslovakia (The Czech Republic) saying it's good. I think that's interesting," said resident Taylor Roche.
And people will do anything to get their hands on the Kolache Capital's kolaches.
"I have a retired school teacher in Portland, Oregon who gets them regularly. She orders two dozen prune every year. And she's glad to pay $37 dollars to get them there," said Bill Broaddus, the owner of the Kolache Capital Bake Shop.
Visiting Caldwell and enjoying a kolache. Another check, this time west of B/CS on our Brazos Valley Bucket List.
Kolache Fest is held every September in Caldwell. For more information, we have a link to the event below.
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