Karen's Kuchens
"The Best Kuchen Nationwide" - USA Today
A Coleman cooler, Dodge hatchback van, and a fledgling Farmer’s Market at the C-Store near the village of Akra, ND; this is how Karen’s Kuchens began. Soon after, Karen's Kuchen moved to a licensed kitchen and soon became a household name in North Dakota. So what is a Kuchen (Koo-Ken)? Somewhere between a cake, pie, and custard, Kuchens came to North Dakota via Germans from Russia and are 100% better when made by a grandma.
Karen Schwandt, who is the namesake, brains, and heart behind Karen's Kuchens, credits her success to "Grandma Steam." Schwandt describes this as her "German stubbornness and determination to get something done on time" as well as the desire honor her Mother and her heritage by producing this German ethnic food the Old World way.
The Old Way is to say “I love you” with food. With a special treat like kuchen, the tradition lives on.
