Give us a taste and aroma of potica.

So many small towns I haven’t been to.  Fortunately, I have crossed Chisholm (in northern Minnesota) off  my list. Many others, too. On my recent two-week vacation to the north woods of Minnesota and Ontario. Got off the freeways and the beaten tracks. And I was charmed by Chisholm. It qualifies as a decent place to visit. If for no other reason than it has a bakery.   That’s how I initially determine whether a small town is worthy. Because I’m always in search of ethnic pastries. My only regret. Chisholm has a Slovenian society, but on this day, no Slovenian goodies in the bake shop. I had to settle for plain old-fashioned American doughnuts. Indeed, that was a let down. I expected better. Potica, for instance. A nut roll, a buttery pastry with layers of ground nut filling. Slovenian immigrants introduced potica on Minnesota’s Iron Range. But now I have to ask. Where is potica? Especially if I can’t find it in Chisholm. It’s a shame. Almost as if I couldn’t find a Norwegian julekake or a Czech kolacky or an Italian panettone. Anyway, my visit to Chisholm wasn’t a total loss. The main drag, called Lake Street, looks like a picturesque town out of the 1890s. But, oh, Chisholm would be so much better. With a first-class bakery that gives us a taste and aroma of potica.. --Jim  Broede