TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Lent, a 40-day period of fasting and penance leading up to Easter, is almost here, which means it’s time for the annual tradition of stuffing our faces with rich, calorie-laden pastries before the fasting begins.
Enter the pączki – a Polish treat so decadent it practically dares you to repent before Ash Wednesday even arrives. These deep-fried, mostly jelly-filled confections have been a staple of Fat Tuesday (or Pączki Day, as we call it in Michigan) for generations, and folks wait all year for their sugary salvation. Even non-religious folks participate in the pączki pandemonium.
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No one is really in agreement on how to pronounce the decadent treat. Some say “Pan Shki” and others say “PUNCH-kee” or “PAUNCH-kee” or “POONSH-kee.” Chances are, if you use one of these pronunciations, you’ll get what you want – or you can always point.
Traverse City’s bakery rolls out the treats.
Traverse City’s much loved Potter’s Bakery announced on Facebook earlier this week that they’re gearing up for pączki season. The lower northern Michigan business started handing out the sweet treats on Thursday, February 27th and will continue through Fat Tuesday, March 4th. Folks can also stop in on the go and get a bag (or box) of their favorite pączki while supplies last – although it’s usually a good idea to get there pretty early in the morning if you want their full selection of flavors.
Flavors. That leads us to the problem that pączki lovers face every year…The decision is always the same…Glazed or powdered? Blueberry or lemon? What about chocolate…or cherry? And there’s also custard and cream to choose between. There are many hard decisions to make and little time to make them. This year, making the decision even more difficult, are the added flavors that Potter’s is offering including blueberry lemon and maple cream.
A box of 10 at Potter’s comes to around $30 – a sweet deal for a sugary indulgence fit for Mardi Gras festivities. The Traverse City folks are lucky to be able to buy theirs for a few days instead of just on Fat Tuesday.
Not just a donut, it’s a religious experience.
While the pączki may look like an overachieving jelly donut, they come with a holier-than-thou backstory. Traditionally, Catholics would use up all the eggs, butter, sugar, and lard in their kitchens before Lent, ensuring there was nothing too indulgent left for the 40 days of fasting.
And what better way to cleanse your cupboards than by turning those forbidden ingredients into something downright sinful? Thus, the pączek (singular for pączki, though no one ever eats just one) was born.
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Over time, the tradition has morphed from a pre-Lenten necessity into a full-blown feeding frenzy for folks of every religion – or no religion at all – with people lining up outside bakeries before dawn to claim their prize. If there’s one thing Midwesterners know, it’s that no February snowstorm will keep them from a fresh batch of these golden beauties.
Waiting 364 days for five minutes of bliss.
For some, “Pączki Day” is bigger than Thanksgiving. Forget the turkey – this is a celebration of fried dough and fruit fillings, and people take it seriously. The true devotees have their orders placed weeks in advance, securing their raspberry, custard, or (for the traditionalists) prune-filled treasures. Others brave the last-minute chaos, battling through long lines and bakery shortages like gladiators in a sugar-fueled arena.
And for most, there’s no “saving some for later.” The second you open that box, the sweet aroma practically forces you to abandon all self-control. You tell yourself you’ll have just one, but next thing you know, you’re three deep, wondering how much treadmill time it takes to undo a day’s worth of pastry-fueled euphoria.
Get ‘em before they vanish!
Like a delicious mirage, pączki will only stick around for a short time, making them all the more irresistible. Once the clock strikes Ash Wednesday, it’s over – until next year.
So grab a box (or two) while you can, because once they’re gone, they’re gone – just like your willpower after that first bite.
