It's Fat Tuesday....Mardi Gras....Hooray for Pączki's!
Have you had your Pączki yet? Do you know what a Pączki is? It's pronounced "poonch-key" or "punch-key". It is a yeast-raised Polish pastry eaten on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday...it marks "Fat Tuesday" (which is the translation of Mardi Gras)! One last indulgence before Lent (and a way to use up all the eggs, cream, sugar and other foods forbidden during Lent)...hence one last indulgence before fasting. Fasting...Fasting?! Yikes, not for me, but then again, I'm not Catholic...or Polish. What I am is a supporter of my local bakery...they make the softest, richest Paczki's around. 
This year, I chose a Bavarian filled Pączki...my hubby chose Strawberry filled...we have a Chocolate filled one still staring at us from the counter. With all the choices, no wonder it's called "Fat" Tuesday....Bavarian, Chocolate, Strawberry, Red Raspberry, Prune, Blueberry, Apple, Lemon, Peach, Apricot...what's your favorite Pączki filling?
These do look wonderful. Oh, how I wish I had celebrated Fat Tuesday in some manner....what I would have given for some sweet something for Mardi Gras. These would do nicely, I am certain!
Oh my goodness! Where can I find these? My husband's family is part Polish but no one ever told me about paczkis - I think someone's holding out!
Hi Tangled Noodle...around here (Indiana/Midwest)...they are EVERYWHERE for a couple of weeks leading up to Fat Tuesday, and a while after, too! And someone is definitely holding out on you...maybe local bakeries? I live in Notre Dame territory..don't know if the extra Catholic population has anything to do with them being readily available or not? Let me know if you find some!
Fat Tuesday!?!? I think that I need to schedule one of those into my life.