Unless you live in Michigan, it’s a pretty sure bet that you don’t know what “Paczki” means.
Ohhh man.
Polish Immigrants are nuts about this kind of doughnut in Metro Detroit. Prunes are considered the traditional filling, but my favorite is Bavarian Cream. They also have a variety of fruit fillings including apple, blueberry, raspberry, lemon, and cherry. Apparently is is through the influence of the French that we eat paczki on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) rather than on Fat Thursday. In the Polish community in Hamtramck, a Detroit enclave, an American-style Paczki Day Parade is organized annually on Mardi Gras (also known as Paczki Day in the region).
We pronounce it “pootch-key” or “poonch-key”.
OK. So paczki each have about the same number of calories as a Quarter Pounder with Cheese ™… and I’ll tell ANYONE that these babies are worth every gram of carb. Holy Tamoley! I had one yesterday which was amazing, btw. Bavarian Cream. Ohhh mama.
BTW they are the same thing as Fat Balls which are sold at many fairs.
Happy Paczki Day!!!
Posted by Jennifer on February 28, 2006 at 8:39 am
I would MUCH rather have the Bavarian Cream. I refuse to eat figs until I’m at least 75.
Posted by yshua on February 28, 2006 at 10:47 am
i would KILL for one of those right now!!
you know how long its been since I had a donut?????
yeah, here these are just filled donuts
how com youse guys in mid weirdo land always gotta be calling stuff by strange names??? yur freaking us westcoasters out. Mellow out on the polish names, OK?
Posted by Noelle on February 28, 2006 at 11:57 am
I bought 2 cream filled in on my way into the office this morning.. Could only eat one and I was feeling sick.. They are SO packed with sugar and I can handle sugar.. Remember the addiction I have with Krispie Kremes?? I fed 1/2 of the other one to my cousin’s 2 year old daughter when she stopped by the office…. She wasn’t staying long so I didn’t care she got all sugared up… Then – she’s with a babysitter this afternoon so mom didn’t either!!!
I LOVE FAT Tuesday!!! It’s like MY day!! It’s a day about me once a year!!1
Posted by Ted on February 28, 2006 at 12:21 pm
Wow…. that has me wondering if they have paczki anywhere in Seattle… man those look good.
Hey, thank you for commenting on my site the other day. I’ve really enjoyed reading through yours today. Your honesty and openness is a testimony and an encouragement.
Posted by daphnewood on February 28, 2006 at 1:58 pm
ooooh those look wonderful. I miss my king cake this year. Kansas doesn’t do much for Mardi Gras
Posted by yshua on February 28, 2006 at 4:03 pm
YOU!
you made me do it
I didn’t wanna do it
I bought a single Jelly donut and celebrated with you
now I must go lie down and die….
Posted by Kerri on February 28, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Yummy…that looks SO good!
Posted by etchen on March 1, 2006 at 4:53 pm
I think they are pretty much a universal thing in the states–I live for fat Tuesday paczkis! Red raspberry is the best by far! (prune, not so tasty) I didn’t know it was a French influence, I alwasys thoguht it was Polish. Hmmm, perhaps I may learn to like the French afterall.
Posted by Jeff H on March 2, 2006 at 11:12 am
“Fat Balls”…
I’ll leave that one alone…
Posted by Leesa on March 5, 2006 at 11:06 am
I’ll trade you a paczki for a kolace.
Posted by Jayleigh on March 5, 2006 at 12:04 pm
I LOVE KOLACE!!!!! ooooohmigoodness! There’s a place near here called the Kolace Kitchen and that’s all they make. And other treats, too, but oooohhh kolace!
Posted by Patti on March 10, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Milwaukee knows what paczki’s are. We have a bakery here that prepares for Fat Tuesday and makes tons of them. Lots of Polish people here.
Posted by Joanne on August 5, 2006 at 2:21 pm
Actually, many people outside the state of Michigan know and love Paczki’s. Chicago has more Polish people than anywhere in the world outside of Warsaw!
Posted by John Simone on February 18, 2007 at 9:00 pm
I have lived in Michigan for over sixty years and just discovered “Paczkies” last year. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I was very disapointed to find out that they are only sold (at the store where I baught them) on “Fat Tuesday.”
I have been waiting for a hole year for Fat Tuesday to come up again!
Meantime, I am learning to make my own (Hope I don’t go to hell for eating them other times of the year?)