Gearing up for Fat Tuesday

CADILLAC - Fat Tuesday is coming to the area and the word of the day will be paczki.

Local bakeries are preparing for one of the busiest days of the year for doughnut sales as the pre-Lenten holiday approaches. Brian Williams, owner of Blue Huron Cafe in Cadillac, said Fat Tuesday dates back to Poland where people would give up things for Lent. It is a day where people use all their perishable food and enjoy some final treats.

Hence Paczkis were made, a delectable treat that is richer and sweeter than a regular doughnut and stuffed with raspberry, strawberry, lemon, chocolate custard, vanilla custard, apple, cherry or blueberry fillings. Raspberry has proven to be the most popular in the area, Williams said.

"It just kind of brings back an old tradition, a Polish tradition ... it brings to the forefront that we are here and it's the beginning of the Lenten season where you have to give something up or make a sacrifice," said Karen Wright, owner of Wright's Bakery in Reed City. "And it's fun, it gives you an excuse to have something sweet."

Wright's has already been selling Paczkis since Feb. 17 with Tuesday as the planned last day of sales. On Fat Tuesday alone, Wright said she plans to make approximately 150 dozen.

"We have had so many people cry because we don't have them enough days so we started making them for a week," Wright said.

In Cadillac, Williams said Blue Heron sold 180 dozen last year and he expects to make at least that much Tuesday.

"It's our biggest morning of the year," Williams said. "We sell three times more Paczkis that morning than we do doughnuts on every other morning."

One of the best parts about Fat Tuesday for Williams is that Paczkis sell all day long as opposed to just the morning hours.

People may like Paczkis more than typical doughnuts because of the ingredients. Wright said Paczkis are richer with more sugar and more fat. It takes longer to make Paczkis and to fill them.

Williams said Blue Huron planned to have a test run on Sunday to make sure everything goes smoothly for Fat Tuesday.

At Blue Huron, Williams said Fat Tuesday is celebrated the way it should be, just on that day. That makes it more special when the day for sweets rolls around each year, he said.

Both Wright's and Blue Huron open at 6 a.m. on Fat Tuesday.

"Generally people will take them to work as a treat, they will usually buy a dozen or a dozen-and-a-half," Wright said.n