Paczki Day in Detroit

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Metro Detroit bakeries serves up best pastry in the nation, holds Paczki Day crown

DETROIT, MI (Tell Us Det) - Following the tradition of every year, Metro Detroiters enjoyed one more time the celebration of Paczki-Day. Hamtramck bakeries showed long lines with clients who waited for hours under the rain to get the beloved fatty treat.

Although Bismarcks and Jelly-filled doughnuts are the more commonly used names for the pastry in the United States, Polish immigrants have popularized this type of preserve-filled doughnut in some parts of the country, especially in metro Detroit.

A typical five ounce paczki contains about 500 calories, 25 or more grams of fat, and is loaded with refined carbohydrates which are directly converted into fat. Prunes are considered the traditional filling, but many others are used as well, including lemon, strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, custard, raspberry, and rarely apple.

In Poland, pączki are eaten especially on Fat Thursday (Tłusty Czwartek), the last Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. The traditional reason for making paczki was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, because their consumption was forbidden by Catholic fasting practices during Lent.

Hamtramck, Michigan is known to be the only U.S. city to organize an annual Paczki-Day (Fat Tuesday) Parade, and lines can be seen up to 24 hours before the deep-fried delights go on sale at the numerous local bakeries. Many bars in town open early in the morning, and provide free entertainment, a party atmosphere, and even Paczki-clad mascots.

Josef's European Pastry Shop in (believe it or not) Grosse Pointe Woods is a favorite bakery for many Paczki lovers, and it's a bit away from Hamtramck, which means the wait might actually be somewhat reasonable, and the paczki are certainly delicious and some the best in metro Detroit. (Photo by HB Meeks/Tell Us Detroit)

In the large Polish community of Chicago, and in other large cities across the Midwest, Paczki Day is celebrated annually by immigrants and locals alike. In Buffalo, Toledo, Cleveland, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Milwaukee, South Bend, and Windsor, Paczki Day is more commonly celebrated on Fat Tuesday instead of Fat Thursday due to French influence.

In the Metro Detroit area, it is so widespread throughout the region that many bakeries have line-ups for paczki on Paczki Day. The Paczki Day celebrations in some areas are even larger than many celebrations for St. Patrick's Day. In some areas, Paczki Day is celebrated with paczki-eating contests. The eating contest is Fat Tuesday in Hamtramck.

Another cultural phenomenon is the emergence of the "Pączki Challenge." An eating contest in which individuals attempt to race from one side of a room (non - standard) while eating as much or as many Pączki as they can before reaching the other side. The person to reach first and having eaten the most Pączkis wins. Typically a ratio of 1 Pączki for every 10 steps is considered competitive.

Whether it is a full day celebration or just a good reason to gather with colleagues for the morning coffee, Paczki Day is one of Metro Detroiters favorite!