Bakery Creates Special Kolache in Honor of Artemis Astronaut Headed to the Moon

On August 16, 2023, Good Dough, a bakery in Galveston, Texas, unveiled a special treat in honor of NASA astronaut Christina Koch and her upcoming mission to the moon. The bakery created the “Koch it to the Moon” kolache, a chocolate-flavored pastry inspired by Koch’s role as a mission specialist on the Artemis II mission. This limited edition pastry is available throughout the month of August.

Good Dough’s owner, Chef Mary Bass, explained that they decided to create this special pastry to honor Koch, who is a regular customer and a supporter of the bakery. Bass expressed their admiration for Koch’s achievements, including holding the record for the longest space mission by a woman and being part of the first all-female spacewalk in 2019.

The “Koch it to the Moon” kolache is made with a base of “brownie batter good good mixed with Milky Way pieces.” The bakery’s Instagram feed describes “good good” as caramel cream cheese, which serves as the base for their traditional Czech kolaches. Good Dough adds their own twist to these sweet pastries by incorporating unique flavors and ingredients.

In the case of the “Koch it to the Moon” kolache, they combine brownie batter with the caramel cream cheese base and top it with chocolate. The choice to include Milky Way candy in the pastry was a nod to Koch’s space mission and the fact that she will be venturing out into the cosmos.

Good Dough takes pride in being an all-female bake-staff and owner, and they see this special pastry as a way to promote strong females who are accomplishing remarkable things. By honoring an astronaut like Koch, they hope to inspire others and celebrate the achievements of women in various fields.

When Koch visited the bakery, she surprised the staff by wearing her NASA flight suit. She took pictures with the staff and expressed her gratitude for the bakery’s gesture. The “Koch it to the Moon” kolache is available for purchase throughout the rest of August, but unfortunately, it cannot be shipped. The bakery intends to ponder bringing back this special pastry as Koch’s launch date approaches, or customers may be able to place special orders for it.

As for the possibility of sending a kolache to the moon, there is a precedent for astronauts requesting special foods for their menus on the International Space Station. Bass and her team had even discussed how to properly vacuum seal a kolache so that it could withstand the journey to the moon. The concept of sending a Milky Way candy bar, which is included in the “Koch it to the Moon” kolache, would be a humorous and fitting addition to the mission.

Good Dough, located at 1510 39th Street in Galveston, is open Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on weekends from 6 a.m. to 12 p.m. Customers can visit the bakery to enjoy their regular Czech kolaches with a unique twist or indulge in the limited edition “Koch it to the Moon” kolache while it lasts.

In conclusion, Good Dough’s creation of the “Koch it to the Moon” kolache is a delicious way to honor NASA astronaut Christina Koch’s upcoming mission to the moon. By combining traditional Czech kolache flavors with brownie batter and Milky Way candy, the bakery pays tribute to Koch’s achievements and promotes strong females in various fields. The pastry is available throughout August at Good Dough in Galveston, Texas, and while it cannot be shipped, there may be future opportunities to enjoy this special treat as Koch’s launch date approaches. Who knows, maybe one day a kolache will make its way to the moon, providing a delightful surprise for astronauts on future missions.