On Friday, Eric linked to this story about meteorite hunters traipsing down to West in search of space rocks. And over the weekend, my wife received her latest issue of Gourmet magazine, in which West received prominent mention as purveyors of what Jan and Michael Stern refer to as “a breakfast treat that has gone to charm school” — the Czech kolache. I read the piece with mixed emotions, as the bakery highlighted therein was Village Bakery, which happens to be owned and operated by one of my parents’ archenemies. (Long story.) I would have preferred the spotlight instead shone on the old Nors Bakery (where my mom’s uncle held his morning coffee klatch for decades; I think it’s under different management now) or Kolacek’s. But what are you gonna do? At least it wasn’t the overrated Czech Stop. Yeah. I said it.
(Oh, and as long as I’m dispensing travel tips, go down Main, take a left after the railroad tracks, and stop by Nemecek’s Meat Market. If it’s still there, get the sausage.)
13 comments
If the sausage has been there that long, I don’t think I want it.
COME ON!
/GOB voice
@ Zac: Dude, you’re a vegetarian. Why should I take sausage advice from you?
I like long stories about archenemies. Maybe you can still tell it and change the identifying details? I’ll even eat a kolache while reading it. And some sausage.
@Tim: You’re probably right. But my parents still buy from there when they can, and my wife, a happy carnivore, swears by it.
@TLS: Okay, fine. Short version: my dad was the superintendent of West ISD for a time. During that time, the owner of Village Bakery’s mother passed away, and bequeathed a sizable portion of her estate to the school district to endow a scholarship fund. It would have helped a ton of kids get to college, or to a better one. It was a good chunk of cash.
The son — who wasn’t exactly hurting for money — contested her will, leading to a protracted court battle that the district eventually had to pull out of for financial reasons. They didn’t get a dime as I recall.
My dad retired, but I would still hesitate to bring up that name around him.
(It’s longer when I’m able to curse.)
Nemechek’s = greatness.
The short detour downtown is definitely worth the extra 2-3 minutes. Agreed about the Czech Stop, but it is convenient.
Location, location, location….the downtown shop might be better, but zipping in and out of the stop is a tradition.
I am sure you would also diss my next stop south on 35….George’s.
@NeitherParty: Diss the Home of the Big “O”? Never in a million years.
Okay, I’m curious, what’s “George’s?
@Welshman – George’s is where all the good Baptists who don’t drink watch Baylor games and drink a giant beer (the Big O) on the south side of Waco.
Zac: The short version gave me no time to finish my kolache and sausage but it was archenemy-worthy so yeah, carry on the fury!
Everyone knows the best kolaches in Texas are not in West. They are in Ellinger (highway 71 between La Grange and Columbus) at Hruska’s!