Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
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She makes treats and then she treats others. If you're on a diet, you're going to need a lot of willpower for this story. It involves delicious food that one woman loves to share with others.
Glady Gogan loves to bake.
Glady Gogan, Kolache Queen: "It's my joy. I love to do it."
And like any great chef, Glady has her specialty.
Glady Gogan: "I like to bake kolaches. It's a yeast dough and you let it raise and add fruit to it."
She has been baking these czechoslovakian treats -- and a slightly larger version she calls bohemian danishes -- for decades. The process starts with boiling potatoes and ends by adding the fillings, anything from cream cheese to raspberry to almond. In between, the recipe calls for lots of patience.
Glady Gogan: "I think sometimes we rush it and I think when you make the little round buns or the Danish or whatever, if you take the time to let it rise, my sister-in-law says they need to grow.
With all the work that goes into making these kolaches, you'd think the best part about it for Glady would be biting into one when they're all done. But it's not.
Glady Gogan: "The sharing. I think the sharing is the best part. If I know of someone who's ill and their family is in town, I try to stop by with some baking. I like to go to the assisted living and leave some."
All those kolaches for all those people means lots of trips to the grocery store.
Glady Gogan: "I probably have used 75-90 pounds of flour this summer."
But for Glady it's worth it. She enjoys letting others reap the benefits of the fruits of her labor.
Glady Gogan: "I got called the Kolache Angel this summer, but I don't think that's appropriate. (laughs)"
Yet, there's no denying Glady Gogan certainly bakes up one heavenly treat.
