Happy Pączki Day!

Pączki, pronounced Poonch-key, (plural for pączek) are fruit-filled, fried dough, glazed with a sugar coating. They look similar to a jelly doughnut. The traditional, and my personal favorite, is filed with a prune jelly; however, one may find a wide variety of fillings such as apple, custard, red raspberry, black raspberry, blueberry, and lemon. These Pączki are from Stimmel's Market here in BG, but Pączki are also available at the Lagrange Street (Lagrinka) Community Center, and at many supermarkets throughout the area. But, bakery fresh is always best.

Pączki are a Traditional Polish food typically prepared and consumed on Fat Tuesday. When Polish immigrants came to Northwest Ohio to work in the industrial factories, they brought this edible tradition with them. Typically prepared in the days leading up to Fat Tuesday, the purpose of this sweet is to clear the pantry of butter, lard, eggs, and any fruit that would spoil or go rancid during the forty days of fasting. Even though yours truly is neither Polish nor Catholic, I still appreciate and enjoy this edible Polish tradition. An added bonus, I can buy the leftovers at a discount on Ash Wednesday--the beginning of lent.

Enjoy!

NC