Fat Tuesday!

I have to admit, I look forward to this day.  In fact, I lick my lips just thinking about it.  Now, I know its the day before Lent and we should be readying ourselves etc, but I just can't help it.  Why, you ask?
In one word, pączki. 

Ahhh, pączki.....  Those glorious Polish fried dough, jelly-filled pieces of heaven.  And although I miss Michigan and my friends often, this is one day I really miss not living near Detroit.  Why?  Because there is simply nothing like the taste, smell, and decadence of pączki.   These little beauties contributed to many a happy memory during my college years in Ann Arbor as we would venture down to the Hamtramck area on Fat Tuesday or find them somewhere closer and, ohhh...bliss! 

In the South however, people just don't know what they are and look at me with a face of utter confusion when I mention them.  (insert southern accent here) "Pooch-key?  What's that?"  Sigh.  So to help educate the masses, today I took some Fat Tuesday treats into my husband's office.  Because I couldn't find true pączki (ahhh...pączki), I settled on jelly and creme filled doughnuts- not exact but about as close as I could get.  Even though I cleaned the bakery out, I still wasn't sure I had bought enough, so I also got some apple fritters.  Everyone from the billing and telephone staff to the med assistants, nurses, and other docs loved them but....sacrilege!  They almost all chose the fritters!!  What?? I tried to push the pączki (try saying that ten times fast, lol) but alas, these southerners just weren't interested.  Now to be fair, some chose the jelly-filled doughnuts and I told them about the yummy Polish treats, but I think they secretly would have chosen a fritter if I had bought more.  Oh well, what can you do?  lol 

So tomorrow we begin our annual Lenten journey and fast, but today for me, its time to enjoy a treat and celebrate Mardi Gras- literally.  Happy Fat Tuesday and here's wishing I could bring you all some pączki!