This story is like many stories at Sipping Turtle Cafe. Anthony, one of our most loyal customers and now a friend, made a suggestion to us when we told him we’re looking to expand our pastry selection. “Have you had kolaches?” He asked. No, I said but was already curious to what it tasted like with the sound of the name Ko-la-che.

Kolaches, he explained, are from Eastern Europe but the ones he knows are from a Texas-Czech version that his boss Eric is about to start a new business selling the deliciously sounding and tasty pastry treat. That piqued my curiosity even more. “It’s savory and a little sweet even”, said Anthony. That was good enough for me and with that I set up an appointment with Tom, Eric’s business partner for a meeting.

A week later, Tom brought three kolaches. Sausage, bacon and spinach but each with flavors that satisfies the taste buds such as peppers, cheddar, feta, egg, onions and jalapeno. They were yummy indeed!

We worked out a deal right there and then and a couple weeks later our first orders of kolaches came. I posted on IG and FB and did an email blast and what came next was surprising and not. I was not surprised that the kolaches sold so well. Within 3 days our 50 orders were gone. But what was a surprise was that I have never met so many Texan transplants in Chicago. I mean they must be here but little did I know of that until they started coming to Sipping Turtle Cafe in droves. Yay Texans love kolaches and Sipping Turtle Cafe! At least that’s how I felt when I talked to them!

So, that’s how Howdy Kolaches are in Sipping Turtle Cafe. Now we have two more flavors, ham and cheese and chorizo. And Eric told me that he has a few more flavors in the works. He teasingly mentioned a Chinese BBQ flavor kolache. I think that would be a perfect fusion of Howdy Kolache and Sipping Turtle Cafe on that one. I hope he makes it soon!