It’s not just a plain old jelly donut. Popular around the country during Mardi Gras, paczkis, the delicious, baked and filled treat are easier to eat than their name is to pronounce. No one agrees on how to pronounce the name, paczki, which in Poland, is pronounced “pooch-key,” “poonch-key” or “pounch-key.” Either way, they’re a tasty treat that I’m told means “little package” in Polish.
The round, glazed or sugar-coated, fruit-filled pastries are often anything but little. Some bakers make them the size of a softball. They’re traditionally served up in Poland and elsewhere annually on the day before Lent. Originally, they were made to use up lard and eggs, as those ingredients were prohibited during Lent. Now, they’re more of a last-minute binge of sweet treats.