With a population of just over 3 million, Oklahoma is nevertheless rich in its variety of ethnic groups. While Mro, Anglo, Mexican, and Native Americans now have the largest representations, Czechs, Germans, Italians, and southeast Asians have also immigrated over the past several decades. Foodways, which are the traditions of cooking, eating, and celebrating with food, tend to be one of the strongest retentions of these many cultures. Sharing unique food traditions strengthens family and community ties.

As the early Czech settlers came to Oklahoma at the turn of the century, they brought with them a tradition of hearty home cooking. Many of the residents still speak the language and get together on occasion to polka and waltz to local Czech bands and eat home-ground sausage kolbasy and sweet rolls kolaches.