Paczki Day for most Michiganders is on Tuesday but not for the bakers of the pudgy donuts stuffed with jelly and other sweet fillings.
“We started making them on Monday,” said Jimmy Garcia, a baker and co-owner of Vito’s Bakery in Clinton Township, which is a hotspot on Paczki Day.
Raspberry, custard and strawberry flavors are the favorites but there is also lemon, blueberry and for the older crowd or anyone wishing to try something a little different, prune.
“We’re up to 16,000 and still making them,” Jimmy said, referring to he and his wife Lori Garcia, who purchased the neighborhood bakery eight years ago and have since opened a second location at 26 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue in Washington Township.
Despite the work and being up for 36 hours straight, Lori insists they enjoy the day.
“It’s fun for people, for our customers,” she said.
Among those who appreciate their dedication and delicious version of the paczki (pronounced poonch-KEE) is Lynette Arakelian.
“They’re great,” said Arakelian, who was picking up an order of donuts for her boss and owner of Hill Machine Works in Fraser.
“He buys them for his employees every year,” Arakelian said, while cradling four boxes of the tasty treats that pack anywhere from 400 to 700 or more calories in a few bites, which is about the same grams of fat as a Big Mac.
But it’s only once a year.
Paczki Day in Michigan, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, depending on where the celebration takes place, is a day of indulgence observed before the Christian season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday (Feb. 22). It’s on this day Christians purge the house of rich ingredients such as sugar, flour, eggs, butter and the sweet fruits that go into the making of paczki in anticipation of the fasting practices during Lent. In Poland paczki are eaten on the last Thursday prior to Ash Wednesday. The pre-Lenten tradition celebrated in other parts of the country is also known as Pancake Day or Mardi Gras.
“I’ve never heard of Paczki Day, but we’re from Florida,” said Hanna Hernandez, who attended Tuesday’s celebration at St. Peter Catholic Church in Mount Clemens, along with her brother, Rafael Hernandez, also from West Palm Beach, and their aunt, Marcella Jodway. “We do have something called, Arti-Gras (similar to Mardi Gras).”
“I think it’s pretty cool,” said Rafael, enjoying the morning with his aunt. “It’s something that the community can do together.”
The church has been doing something on Paczki Day since Jodway was a little girl.
“I remember coming here when I was seven and I’m 85 now,” she said, with a smile.
For her, it’s not just about the donuts. It’s about the people, and those who cherish the tradition including many of her friends and family who planned to return to St. Peter’s for the afternoon edition of the celebration starting at 3 p.m.
It’s also been an important tradition for Shannon Lauer of Macomb Township, who attended the morning event at St. Peter’s along with her three children including Luigino, 3, Lucy, 6, and Landon, 8.
“I love it when they do this every year,” Lauer said. “We homeschool our kids so it’s a fun day out for them.”
Lauer and her family will observe Lent like many other Christians but instead of giving up something for themselves they will do for others.
“We try to be kinder. The kids will do more chores around the house; it’s just something my mother started,” Lauer said. “She used to say, ‘What can you do better for everyone else? She just felt that Lent shouldn’t just be about yourself but others.”
Paczki Day Celebration
St. Peter Catholic Church and St. Mary Catholic School of Mount Clemens’ Paczki Day Celebration was held in two shifts with paczki and beverages in the morning then a more expansive offering in the afternoon.
“This is our second year,” said Tina Garland, who was among the volunteers serving paczki for the morning crowds. “We had a huge turnout last year and are expecting the same or more.”
The church purchased more 570 paczki’s from Josef’s European Bakery Shop in Grosse Pointe Woods that will be offered while supplies last along with coffee, tea, or lemonade.
The fun included live music, Rosco the Clown, kids crafts and a face painter along with food trucks including:
• Twisted Street BBQ
• National Coney Island
• Batter Up Waffle Co.
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Getting ready for Lent with tasty treats around Macomb - The Macomb Daily
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