Celebrating Paczki Day and Fat Tuesday

Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, marks the final day of indulgence before the season of Lent begins in many Christian traditions. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which kicks off a season of fasting and reflection leading up to Easter.

Fat Tuesday is here, which means that several Metro Detroiters are getting up early to pick up a dozen Paczki, a Polish pastry synonymous with this time of year.

Discover local bakeries offering a wide range of paczki flavors, from the classics to unique options around West Michigan on Fat Tuesday.

Short answer: no. Think of the paczek as the jelly doughnut’s lavish cousin. While a good jelly doughnut is light and airy, a paczek is denser and more brioche-lik, thanks to more eggs in the dough.

In Northeast Wisconsin, having a paczki on Fat Tuesday is a tradition. Long lines to buy boxes of paczkis at Smurawa’s Country Bakery is also a tradition in Pulaski -- a communi

Fat Tuesday is here, and bakeries across West Michigan are busy filling paczki orders as customers rush to get their hands on the traditional Polish treat. ()