What is the first thing you think of when you contemplate a road trip from Dallas to Austin? Is it a Longhorn football game? A wild night out on 6th street? Carl’s Corner?If you’re anything like me, you can’t help but get excited about stopping in West, Texas (just North of Waco and South of Hillsboro) to sample some of the famous kolaches from the Czech Stop. For those of you who haven’t yet had the pleasure of sampling one, a kolache is a traditional Central European dish of a pastry roll filled with any number of things, from fruit to meat to cheese. They are popular in West (and a few other towns in Central Texas) due to their large Czech populations. These heavenly pillows of pastry and various fillings make any road trip down 35 worthwhile.
I love the plain sausage (no molten American cheese, thank you very much), which pair perfectly with a cold bottle of Dr. Pepper. The sausage has just enough smokiness and spiciness to make it interesting without overwhelming the pastry, and the sweetness of the Dr. Pepper really rounds out the meal.
My absolute favorite, however, is the cream cheese kolache. These are pretty good when you get them mixed with fruit (strawberry, blueberry and apricot are a few of the choices they offer), but I prefer just the plain cream cheese. It tastes like a cross between cheesecake and a dinner roll, and while that may not sound all that appetizing, it takes both of those standards to new heights. The cream cheese is rich and sweet, so the flaky, buttery pastry cuts that a little bit while adding some texture. I highly recommend you give one a whirl the next time you venture down 35.
I’m sure many of our readers have had the pleasure of visiting West, and I’d like to hear if you all love it as much as I do…
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9 comments:
I LOVE the kolaches from West. Um, I think I ate four when I got home from the last trip and I had already had two in the car.
I am officially jonesing for Kolaches now, FP! Great Post!
You're just trying to torture me now! I got a text from Jen when she was there...I asked her to eat about 10 for me and I can see that I really had to convince her on that. :)
I love the sausage. Really good stuff.
i like the jalapeno cheese sausage roll, the kolaches are nice but the filling is never too impressive. donna's mentioned a place that does them even better a mile or so off the highway...i forget where it was tho
Try the poppy seed filling...yum.
Considering I went to West 2 weekends in a row, I think I might be a fan :)
Luniz, that other kolache joint is Geriks, and it's only about 100 yards from I35. It's on the same side of the freeway as Czech Stop but you turn right at the light (Northbound) and it's there on the right. Kolaches are better than Czech Stop, but the hours are more traditional (they close at 6PM). However, if you get there at closing time, you can buy them by the bagful cheap!!!
I *HEART* Kolaches. I like the spicy ones too...I think they need a chili filled Kolache...YUM! I like all the fruity ones too....hell, just line'em up and get outta my way *NOM NOM NOM* get in my belly! There is another place that isnt down 35, but rather 45 in Ennis called the Kolache Depot. Eniis is afterall where they have the Polka festival, and what gets more czech than that? Anyway, the depot has not only fabulous Kolaches, but I had a slice of cake from there that was unbelievable !!!! it was thick and chocolate with layers of mouse and icing. I am from oklahoma and somewhere along the red river the recipe was obviously skewed because the ones up there Kolaches are basically "Pig in a blankets" older uglier sister. So upon my first trip down 35 my friend insisted upon stopping for Kolaches, I was like " Are you serious?" I could of made these with lil-smokies and biscuits before we left the house and now you wouldn't be wasting my time *sits back in passenger seat with big sunglasses, magazine, and arms crossed* 4 miles later I was stuffed with every kind of filling and pastry I could eat and while maintaining some form of dignity among my fellow passengers..while hiding a few for the hotel room in Austin :-)
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