Kirjahaku

Hitman-Baker-Casketmaker: Aftermath of an American's Clash with ICE spotlights loss, change and resurrection. For the first time, Master Bread Baker Klecko reveals the circumstances behind the 2018 demise of St. Agnes Baking Company just days before the Twin Cities hosted Super Bowl LII at U.S. Bank Stadium. The 30-year old bakery was scheduled to be a primary vendor for the event.In his compelling book of new poems, St. Paul's top baker writes not of financial loss, but of the emotional fall-out of disbanding the bakery's loyal and talented crew, most of whom are immigrants. Klecko tells of assembling the workers to tell them about their fate, of sharing a final lunch with a longtime member of his team, and offers meaningful reflections on those difficult days and the ones that followed.Hitman-Baker-Casketmaker also focuses on the relationships Klecko developed as a young man with people who were connected to the underworld and on the life-changing decisions he was forced to make at a young age--decisions which have impacted the rest of his life. Klecko's keen powers of observation are fully on display in this sophisticated and moving collection which further cements his reputation as one of the smartest and most original poets of the day.

In "Hitman-Baker-Casketmaker: Aftermath of an American's Clash with ICE," winner of a 2020 Midwest Book Award, Klecko wrote about losing his bakery and crew of 25 years. In "Lincolnland," the 40+ year master bread baker has a dream where Abraham Lincoln tells him not to lose hope. Vindication was waiting. All the baker had to do was head to Washington, D.C. to receive instructions from Lincoln's ghost. Klecko went to the nation's capital but Lincoln never materialized. Still the baker believed, planned a second trip to D.C., but the world shut down due to the pandemic. With nothing to lose, Klecko reached out to famous people who inspired him. Could they help? Would they help? Along the way, he traveled throughout the Midwest on a series of unique adventures. Would Klecko find vindication or Lincoln's ghost? The outcome may shock you, but one thing's for certain: If you buy "Lincolnland" and read "Lincolnland," you're going to be motivated to live your life to the fullest.

"3 a.m. Austin Texas" is based on a true story of the author, Klecko. In 1982, when he was a young Minnesota man, still in his late teens, he threw away his life only to reclaim it while hitchhiking to Texas in the dead of winter. Long before the days of cellphones, this journey, made in abject solitude, save for a few people he met along the way, taught him how to be resilient and gain confidence.

The breads of master baker Klecko have been served in some of the finest restaurants in Minneapolis and St. Paul. With decades of international culinary experience, Klecko has baked for presidents, rock stars, and professional athletes. Now, he shares his favourite recipes for his favourite clients -- the four-legged kind. This book offers three dozen recipes that are sure to get tails wagging; unique concoctions, including the exotic Seaweed-Miso Biscuit and a classic Sausage Biscuit; celebrity-inspired creations such as the Fritz Mondale Cherry-Cream Cheese Biscuit and the Cesar Millan Minnesota Biscuit; and the highly practical Tummy Biscuit and Bad Breath Biscuit. The recipes are presented in a straight-forward, no-nonsense manner that puts your dog's tastes first--no fire-hydrant cookie cutters here! Instead, each recipe emphasises high-quality ingredients and sound baking tradition to ensure that your pooch is receiving a healthy treat she won't be able to resist. Klecko's can't-miss recipes are paired with detailed nutritional information, sidebars with fun dog facts, and compassionate recollections about his own dog experiences.