A Taste of Nebraska and More

“Schmackary’s Cookies” When Zachary Schmahl left Nebraska for the bright lights of Broadway, he wanted to make it big on Broadway and he did, but it wasn’t through theater. It was through cookies. Learn how this small town kid became the self-proclaimed “cookie king of New York.” “Kolache Queen” In the small town of Morse Bluff, Nebraska lives royalty. In fact, some call her the queen—the Kolache Queen. For more than half a century, Nadine Racek has been mixing, kneading and baking delicious treats that have delighted people across the globe. Nadine had baked as many as 1500 kolaches in one order and shipped them as far as Afghanistan. And at 84 it doesn’t look like she’ll stop any time soon. “Crafting Fine Vodka” Local wineries and brew pubs are commonly found within our state, but in West Point two men decided they try their hand at crafting vodka. The result? An award winning Nebraska made vodka that is among the finest in the United States. “Saving Sacred Seeds” With the blessing of tribal elders, Omaha tribe member Taylor Keen plants indigenous heirloom seeds with the hope that someday everyone in his tribe could be self-sustaining by planting their own corn, bean, squash, and sunflower crops from those sacred seeds. “The Piemaker” For a man with deep memories of the depression and the extreme drought of the 1930’s, going without is nothing new. So at 98-years old, a Hastings man uses those memories as motivation to keep his apron on… baking pies and giving them away to anyone in need: family, friends, hospice workers, cancer patients, and other causes.