Happy Fat Tuesday! And that means it's time for paczki! Here are some quick facts to guide you through the gobs of glazed deliciousness, courtesy of Lansing State Journal!

  1. Pronunciation: I know paczki looks intimidating, but trust me, it's bark is worse than it's bite. If you have the best self control in the world and manage to eat only one (1) paczek... you pronounce it POON-check. However, if you're more like me and find you've indulged in more than just one, it's paczki (POONCH-key).
  2. Disguised as your average glazed or cinnamon-sugar doughnut... do NOT be fooled. Each one is loaded with one of the following fillings: custard, chocolate, cream, or various fruit jellies/curds. There's even a bakery in my hometown that makes Nutella stuffed paczki. Oh, and on average, a single paczek can pack a whopping 25 grams of fat and 400 calories.
  3. Why are paczki such a big deal on Fat Tuesday? It steams from a Catholic tradition, and now is seen of as more of an opportunity to over-indulge the day before the start of Lent... a period of fasting that takes place before Easter.
  4. Where can you find them? Well, in Lansing...? Just about everywhere! lol. I enjoyed a yummy pastry cream paczek from Glazed & Confused Bakery on Friday. *Thanks Guys!* And I indulged in a glazed/custard filled Monday morning from Quality Dairy *Thanks to You Too!* Both were so incredibly magnificent that I'm surprised I didn't go back for seconds!

I hope this quick guide was a help! And Happy Fat Tuesday!

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