5 best things our food writers ate in the Twin Cities this week
Food writers Sharyn Jackson and Rick Nelson highlight the favorites of their weekly dining experiences.
December 18, 2020 — 4:10pm
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I love when readers send me suggestions. (Seriously, do it!)
After my story about all the wonderful bakers making challah in the Twin Cities, I got an e-mail from an expert in Czech and Slovak culture at the U, who steered me toward Michaela "Míša" Giancarlo Kotek — also known as the Czech Baker.
What I hadn't known was that challah is strikingly similar to vánočka, the Czech Christmas bread. It's egg-enriched, sweet and braided, though the taste is slightly different, with a hint of lemon. Few shops carry vánočka, but home-based bakers like Giancarlo Kotek have been selling them this holiday season, made in her Savage kitchen. I ordered one for pickup at the Czech and Slovak Sokol, the cultural organization in St. Paul. For fun, I added a pound of her Christmas cookies to my order, and to put it simply, they are gorgeous.