Tuesday, February 28, 2006

Hooray! Hooray! It's Paczki Day!

Today is one of my favorite holidays. It's Fat Tuesday, better knows as Paczki Day in these parts.

For those of you elsewhere in the country who've not seen that word before, it's pronounced POONCH-key, and they're a delicacy. What are paczki? They look like donuts, but there's so much more.

Here's my paczki. Get your own.

Part of Fat Tuesday involves indulgence and decadence before Catholics start fasting for lent. In traditional Polish households, this involved using up the sugar and lard as well. In the bakeries of Hamtramck, they make the best paczki in the country. New Orleans may have Mardi Gras, but Detroit has Paczki Day.

These little guys are stuffed with fruit filling or custard. Custard is my favorite.

Here's the hard facts on paczki, from the folks at Beaumont Hospital.
A typical 5-ounce paczek contains about 420 calories and 25 or more grams of fat. It's loaded with refined carbohydrates, which are directly converted into fat.
To burn off a paczek requires 30-47 minutes of running, 40-60 minutes of cycling, 85-120 minutes of walking or 90-135 minutes of bowling.
So they're not good for you, but what the hell. It's only one day a year.

As of 10:15, I am two paczki into my day. It may not be healthy, but it's something I gotta do. It's all part of being a good Polish Catholic.

Link to local coverage

7 comments:

stray_thoughts said...

Happy Paczki Day! I am currently without a Paczki, but hope to remedy that situation soon.

Anonymous said...

I too am paczki-deprived, but it's a long walk to that bakery at 9 and Hilton that's probably sold out anyway.

alpharat said...

It's 1:30, I'm 3 paczki into my day. One year I did 6. I don't know if I have that kind of stamina anymore, though.

Anonymous said...

I must admit...before today, I'd never even heard of paczki day...and now, prior to reading your post, I've heard it mentioned 2x...I think there's a paczki conspiracy!!!

Anonymous said...

I made a conscious effort not to eat a paczki on Tuesday. Something about the ring of "fat" Tuesday lead me to the conclusion that it was not a good idea. Now however, as I sit here and read your blog, complete with a paczki photo, I feel a deep sense of remorse. And I am hungry. Well, I guess there is always next year.

Anonymous said...

Guys, It's 'fat' Thursday('tlusty czwartek) not Tuesday!! Now you can eat all that paczki again :)

Anonymous said...

Love it! Thank you for making me feel OK about eating that paczek that's calling me from the other room!