With respect to my Polish heritage, I will not call today Fat Tuesday. I will not even call this a day of Mardi Gras. No, today I will call paczki day!
Growing up as a child, my parents would always bring home paczki on this day, and we would delight in the many different flavors of plum, strawberry, raspberry, apricot, lemon, and on and on. It was a wonderful day to smother oneself in this doughy, delicious, and decadent treat. Of course, all had to be consumed before Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting.
So eat up. Feast on this fanciful food. Enjoy your paczki – for tomorrow, the season of Lent begins.
