Raspberry Kolaches/Bohemian Ovens

First, the name: kolache, kolach, kolace, and kolacky are all the same thing. It’s the pronunciation that is consistent: koh-LAH-chee (in simplistic form). The taste is consistent, as well.

While kolaches are originally from the are that comprises the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the ones I found were in from Bloomer, via downtown Eau Claire. Moseying around the Phoenix Park Farmer’s Market in October, I spotted tables covered in baked goods. These tables were part of the Bohemian Ovens display. Now, if you’re not familiar with the business, they’re located in Bloomer, and you can go in and get a good meal there. As you would gather from their name, they bake…a lot. One of their signature baked items: the kolache.

The kolache is a simple concept: dough wrapped around a filling, often sweet but not always so. You could find meat, or chocolate (Bohemian Ovens had a Nutella-filled option at that farmer’s market), but they are perhaps best known for their fruity interior. I spotted raspberry on the menu, and sprang for a three-pack.

Small and delectable, the raspberry kolache. As you can see, there’s the right amount of a raspberry center, the right amount of wrapped dough, and the right amount of icing. If you’re looking for a breakfast pastry but are daunted by the sugar overload of a fruit-filled Bismarck, the kolache is the way to go.

If timing doesn’t work to get to Bloomer or to hit up one of the farmer’s market, you can order lots of kolaches here at the Bohemian Ovens website. Theoretically, you could have different kolaches for breakfast, lunch, dinner, AND dessert. Welcome to kolache valley, Wisconsin.