Wednesday 5 March 2014

LIFE: Paczki Day

Paczki

I was certainly going to town on the fat on Fat Tuesday, what with paczki's and pancakes. What is a paczki I hear you cry from over the Atlantic Ocean? As much as they look like, and the word paczki actually translates from the Polish into doughnuts they differ in the batter used for frying them. They're often filled with yummy fillings like raspberry, strawberries or just covered in a glaze, but traditionally they were filled with plum and rose hip. They are a lot richer and a lot taster than your average doughnut for sure.

They are a bit of a big deal around these parts - as Polish immigrants moved into the region they brought their food and traditions with them. The city of Hamtramck is made up of a big Polish population and is the center for paczki and Fat Tuesday traditions. Due to the popularity they can be found in food stores too especially in areas across the US with similarly high Polish populations which is were I grabbed mine - filled with a yummy strawberry filling and I also had a "proper" paczki later that was filled with the most gooey and delicious lemon curd filling. Heavenly. 

But being a mix of cultures these days, I'm all for having a traditional crepe pancakes (lately I've been always making American style pancakes so it was a welcome change) and gave me an excuse to get through some of the cappuccino ice cream that's a little strong tasting on it's own!

Pancake Day

What did you eat for Fat Tuesday?

25 comments:

  1. Ooh, that looks so yummy! I never had any pancakes or whatever yesterday. It completely went unnoticed in our house but, man, I am craving something cake-like now! Haha

    Debi x

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    1. Serious sugar low after eating the pczki's though - pretty much knocked us both out!

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  2. This is making me go look for flan in my fridge. NOW!

    xx

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  3. I've never eaten a paczki, despite having lived in Chicago (huge number of Polish immigrants there). I have to say, they sound pretty darn awesome!

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  4. Great post - those paczkis sound amazing! Especially with rose hip filling - yum! :)
    theemeralddove21.blogspot.co.uk

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    1. Can't believe it took me over two years living here to get around to trying one!

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  5. I love the thin pancakes as someone who is used to the fluffy ones. I think we like what's different haha.

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  6. Oh my goodness! They both look amazing! I'd love to try a paczki, I have a serious sweet-tooth so I'm sure those would be a winner with me!

    Ivy xx
    Style Life Lovely

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    1. So much sugar though - I think they are like 900 calories a paczki oops! But certainly worth as a treat!

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  7. I just had a conversation with my husband about this last night! Growing up we always had these! I had never really heard of pancakes and he thought I was crazy, but we always had the packzis!

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    1. Yeah i'd never heard of Paczki's before - even with visiting Poland in the past. In the UK we always had a mountain of pancakes for Shrove/Fat Tuesday - the more the merrier!

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  8. YUMMMMMM!
    I can't believe it's paczki time already?!
    I have to get me some. >.>

    <3
    Harlynn
    mindyourmadness.blogspot.com

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  9. Plum and rose hip sounds like such a beautiful flavour ... they should start putting it in donuts over here x

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    1. To be honest, I wonder how the rose hip or the plum would go in a traditional doughnut (the batters are different) probably be just as tasty!

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  10. I havent made any yet but I shall be making some at the weekend!
    Lauren | OhHay Blogs!
    xxx

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  11. Didn't make pancakes this year, but seeing yours with ice cream has just put me in the mood! Love from Scotland.
    Liz @ Shortbread & Ginger

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  12. I do like doughnuts so I'm all for trying a new doughnut alternative. I missed out on pancake day for pancakes but we had them on Weds and yesterday too. Thanks to Delia's super recipe, makes the most amazing pancakes.

    Mmm that ice cream sounds pretty good too :)

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    1. You're making it a pancake week methinks! Delia is pretty awesome with her recipes - kind of wish I had some working scales (rather than a vintage decorative somewhat broken set) so I could make use of more Delia and Mary Berry recipes.

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    2. haha, I may or may not have had pancakes for dinner yesterday...

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  13. Wow... these sound so good right now! Thanks for giving me an idea on what to snack on today. :)

    Marie
    candidlymarie.com

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  14. I had one at work on Tuesday. Someone brought them in from Hamtrammck. It was pretty good.

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    1. I'm not really sure where the "real" paczki came from - Joe grabbed it from someone at work for me to try. Tasty all the same!

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  15. yummy yum yum. I totally forgot all about Mardi Gras this year, not that I indulge during the day moreso than others, in the first place! :)

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