It’s almost Mardi Gras! A time for celebrations & eating yummy, traditional treats–like king cakes and paczkis! Two of my family’s favorite treats and new traditions! Just in case you aren’t familiar with either–we’re going to focus on both today since there’s still time to indulge if you wish! I had never heard of a paczki (pronounced like “poonch key”) until we moved to Toledo–but they’re a mouth-watering pastry stuffed with fruit or cream fillings much like a doughnut. These pastries are not affiliated with Mardi Gras celebrations but are a Polish tradition of using up sugars and fats before Lent begins and are offered for a limited time prior to Fat Tuesday. Knowing we can get them only once a year makes them a much anticipated treat! So if you live in the Midwest, popular with Polish communities, get to your local bakery asap–you might be able to get in on the tasty fun before these treats are gone ’till next year!
