POONCH KEY OR PUNCH KEY, I'LL EAT 'EM LIKE A MONKEY!

Paczki, pronounced, "poonch key" is a TO DIE FOR, delectable, sugar coated (or glazed), fruit filled pastry taste of heaven that is available only once a year for, appropriately enough, 'Fat Tuesday', the beginning of Mardi Gras and the day before Lent begins on Ash Wednesday.
My favorite Paczki is the raspberry filled. - Yum O!!

Growing up Catholic, I remember the days leading up to Lent being filled with all kinds of sweet goodness, including Paczkis that my parents would drive over to the town of Hamtramck, MI for. 

My dad wanted them fresh and he wanted them made by the the "originals." The oldest, family owned polish bakeries in the town. The lines were long and the weather usually cold and snowy but nobody cared because homemade, fresh Paczkis really are a gooey glob of heaven and worth every minute of the wait! My dad always ordered 2 boxes of a baker's dozen and it seemed like forever before us kids saw him and mom pull into the driveway with their oh so cool T-Bird and those 2 boxes of mouth watering, icky, sticky goodness!

Side note:  It wasn't until I was much older that I realized a baker's dozen was NOT 7! - Thanks dad.. For these memories and being Catholic and passing on your faith and traditions, and for having a sweet tooth bigger than any of your 7 children!

Happy Fat Tuesday Everyone!

Have a Paczki on me!