There are several days in the year that eating and drinking in access is acceptable. Fat Tuesday is one of them. With my roots being 100% Polish, there is never a year that goes by that I don’t celebrate the day before Lent with a paczki. (or two!)

Paczki, (pronounced puhnch-kee) is similar to a jelly-filled donut only better! The dough is dense, rich, and definitely has a weight to them. The filling varies depending on the bakery. My favorite is raspberry-filled and coated with sugar. I recall my Grandma liking hers filled with prune sprinkled with powdered sugar.

This pastry originates in Poland but was brought to Detroit and Hamtramck, Michigan. After WW2, a high concentration of Polish immigrants sought employment in the automobile industry in these cities.

Mom was born and grew up in Hamtramck which has been dubbed the Paczki Capital. She grew up eating them, and in turn, our family did too. The Martha Washington Bakery opened in 1925 and that’s where she, her mother (Grandma Helen), sister (my Auntie Diane), and brother (my Uncle Ronnie) shopped regularly for bread, sweets, and paczkis growing up. 

I recall visiting the original Martha’s in the 1980s before it was renovated. The white tile floor was scuffed and chipped, the speckled porcelain countertops were cracked and the bakery cases were scratched from wear. The most memorable part of this landmark, however, was a white plastic cross that hung in the front window. Mom shared that since she was a little girl, the cross never left its place and had been blessing the bakery for many years.

Although you can find paczkis in local bakeries, there’s nothing like the smell and taste of the very best from Hamtramck, Michigan. However, if you spot them in your hometown, buy some! Even though they’re not made in the Paczki Capital, they’re definitely worth the calories!

Thinking about my mom and her family, I’m certain that she, my Grandma Helen, Grandpa Joe, and Auntie Diane still celebrate Paczki Day together in heaven with sugar on their lips and 4 cups of hot coffee in front of them! Happy Paczki Day and Fat Tuesday next week!

I would be amiss if I didn’t mention that Auntie Diane told me she once ate 12 paczkis on Fat Tuesday! She worked at a local bank and celebrated with their customers by enjoying paczkis all-day long. Every time I think of her I smile. She was the coolest aunt ever.