poll: poppyseed rolls or kolaches?

[franksolich]

This is the second time I'm trying to post this; the last time, just a few minutes ago, I had something all nicely written out, and just as I hit "send," the internet connection broke, due to probably unstable climatic conditions in either southern Minnesota or western Utah.  Wireless isn't all it's made up to be, as the weather can affect reception.....weather that is usually hundreds of miles away from where one is.

Alas, out here on the roof of Nebraska, thinly-peopled Nebraska, wireless is usually the only option, especially if one lives right on the edge of the "service area."

Damn.

Anyway.

Do you prefer poppyseed rolls or kolaches?

There are of course other fruits used as the filling in both things, but this poll is restricted to poppyseed only.

Kolaches, round buns with poppyseed in the center, apparently originated in the western part of the former Czechoslovakia, while poppyseed rolls obviously originated in the eastern part of the former Czechoslovakia.

One of the "sometime" purposes of kolaches was to bribe tax-collectors, so they wouldn't pry into things too closely.  Poppyseed rolls have a religious derivation, but that story was told me a long time ago, and I disremember it.

My mother always made poppyseed rolls, never kolaches.

My mother had been a good cook, a great cook, at one time, but by the time I came along at the tail-end of a large family, she was old, and oftentimes tired.  It was alleged by ignorant people--including even those in the family--that her poppyseed rolls were "too dry" and even "burnt."

I dunno; I have no particular culinary sophistication, but I always thought her poppyseed rolls were food for the gods, and chowed down on them, ravenously.

My aunts and my sisters used to try to please me, after my mother died, by making poppyseed rolls using exactly the same things my mother had used, but alas their rolls were always too moist, too sweet, too soft, too raw, I thought.

I've made poppyseed rolls myself--perhaps 8-10 times the past 30 years--and thus far, it appears franksolich is the only living person who could ever make poppyseed rolls the way they're supposed to be made, as my mother did.  It takes a lot of work, as it all has to be done from scratch, and myself being a male, I always had to get really worked up to make them, and thus the rare occasions I've made them.

later: it took me 20 minutes to get this on here--again, internet connection, not this place

[IassaFTots]

I like both.  Depends on my mood.  My mom never made either, so I don't have a tradition with them. . 

[BattleHymn]

My wife gave up on making the poppyseed rolls a while back- I think she is putting too much egg in them, since they were too wet inside.  When we make them together, they turn out just fine, so she decided to just leave it to me. 

[Odin's Hand]

Kolaches...they are a big deal here since there is a large pop. of people of Czech lineage in Central OK.

[franksolich]

Kolaches...they are a big deal here since there is a large pop. of people of Czech lineage in Central OK.

Now, that's something I never thought about, Czechs in Oklahoma.

For whatever reasons, I always associated Oklahoma with "old stock" Americans, who had been in this country, usually the eastern states and the southern states, for generations and generations.

Czechs in Oklahoma.  Hmmmm.  You wouldn't happen to have any Norwegians down there too, would you?

It's remarkable what franksolich doesn't know.

[Odin's Hand]

Now, that's something I never thought about, Czechs in Oklahoma.

For whatever reasons, I always associated Oklahoma with "old stock" Americans, who had been in this country, usually the eastern states and the southern states, for generations and generations.

Czechs in Oklahoma.  Hmmmm.  You wouldn't happen to have any Norwegians down there too, would you?

It's remarkable what franksolich doesn't know.

The Czechs are the big group outside of those of British nationality as far as European ancestry. A lot of Irish immigrated here. There is large Vietnamese community in OKC. The largest, outside of the West Coast cities, in the U.S. I believe. Of course, many with American Indian ancestry. No large communities of Norwegian that I know of.

[franksolich]

.....those of British nationality as far as European ancestry. A lot of Irish immigrated here.

Of course, many with American Indian ancestry.

That's what I always thought, sir.

[IassaFTots]

Now, that's something I never thought about, Czechs in Oklahoma.

For whatever reasons, I always associated Oklahoma with "old stock" Americans, who had been in this country, usually the eastern states and the southern states, for generations and generations.

Czechs in Oklahoma.  Hmmmm.  You wouldn't happen to have any Norwegians down there too, would you?

It's remarkable what franksolich doesn't know.

We have a significant population of Czechs here in Texas as well.  There is a town called West, south of here on the way to Austin.  I always stop at the Kolache places whenever I am in the vicinity. 

[Thor]

Oklahoma has one of the earliest Viking "monuments" in the country. The runestones predate Columbus by a good 500 years.

http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/heavener1.html

[debk]

Neither can be found around here, and it's been so many years since I have had them (since I left the midwest).

Did have both when in the Czech Republic 5 years ago. Oh yum....to both.