Pączki (Polish) are pastries traditional to Polish cuisine (the word pączek is sometimes translated as doughnut). Pączki is the plural form of the Polish word pączek.
A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally, Spiritus) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough. Although they look like jelly doughnuts (generic name; sometimes "jam donut"), pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar.
Pączki Day
In Poland, pączki are eaten especially on Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday). Many Polish Americans celebrate Pączki Day on Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). Traditionally, the reason for making pączki was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, because they were forbidden to be consumed due to Catholic fasting practices during Lent.
In the large Polish community of Chicago, and other large cities across the Midwest, Pączki Day is celebrated annually by immigrants and locals alike. In Buffalo, Toledo, Delta, Ohio, Cleveland, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, South Bend, and Windsor, Pączki Day is more commonly celebrated on Fat Tuesday instead of Fat Thursday. Chicago celebrates the festival on both Fat Thursday and Fat Tuesday, due to its sizable Polish population. Chicagoans also often eat paczki on Casimir Pulaski Day.
Buying Paczki in Cleveland:
In Cleveland, the bakeries and markets of Slavic Village all make paczki, beginning about three to four weeks prior to Lent. If you're interested in a quantity of paczki, especially on Paczki Day, it's wise to order in advance. Gertrude Bakery, Seven Roses Deli, and Europa Market are all good sources of paczki in Cleveland.
* I pre ordered mine at Jack Frost Donuts.....call to pre-order RIGHT NOW!!! They are SOOOOOOO freaking good!
Want to make your own paczki's?? Check out the recipe here.
TEST SUBJECT NOTE - As a man of proud Polish heritage, I am glad that my wife is embracing the wonderful cooking aspects of her new husband's side of the family. And Paczki's (some pronounce "POONCH-keys") are a great Polish tradition. They are like a donut on steroids. The good people at Jack Frost Donuts do them up right - and you can never go wrong getting some in the 'old neighborhood' in Slavic Village.
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