It is Fat Thursday!!!

Fat Thursday in Poland is the traditional day to commit sin before Lent starts. Yes that is right sin. Which sin, well the sin of gluttony of course. It is to consume as many donuts (pączki, pronounced ponshkey) as possible. Everyone tries for at least 2, I would say, where as when I first came I think I had 6 or 7 as it was my first Fat Thursday and so everyone was stuffing me with them and wouldn't accept no for an answer. 


To give you an idea of what it is like a story from one of my students:


"I was waiting in line at my favourite bakery for about ten minutes to buy some to bring to work, when I was the second person in the line the woman in front of me asked "How many donuts do you have left?". The worker went off and quickly counted "about 200" was the response. "Fine, I'll take them all" she said, leaving me a little unhappy and late for work" 

So my student got to work donutless, late and hungry. Maybe that is the lesson here that the religion is trying to teach you, suffering comes in all forms. Either that or get out of bed early. Below is a video from my favourite pączki place on Chmielna in the city centre. Everyone who visits would know this as they all have to have one from here.

If you want to see some donuts from the above shop click here. Enjoy your Fat Thursday kids!

The worlds greatest donuts, or is that D'oh! Nuts!

Well, almost all of you who have ever read this before know how I love and adore food. I am constantly experimenting with food and have been completely amazed at how great food in Poland is/has been/was. I am sure that everyone gets sick and tired of me banging on about tasty morsels I have located either by reference, luck or experimentation. But, stiff! I like it.

So this brings me to Cukiernia Pawlowicz on Ulica Chmielna (Hops Street). It is actually not a traditional street as it is a pedestrian street, and was a well known prostitute alley/drug dealer shopfront before WWII, but the Germans changed that by gently removing (mostly through death) all the said law breakers. Ok, away from the history, this is a fantastic place. Being a Cukiernia and not a Kuchnia, it is not a kitchen but a sweet producer. This isn't a confectioner, but more of a pastry store but to confuse the matter, they can also sell icecream. Confused? I am too, sometimes there isn't a straight line in language. The shop is nothing more than a window on the side of the street, so in theory easy to miss. However, it stands out by two things, a delightful aroma emanating up and down the street and the almost always persistent line up at the window.

I have never been the biggest fan of donuts, although the staff at Kelly NZ may disagree, but Pawlowicz has changed my mind. These are deliciously fresh and light donuts, so not that heavy American style of gunk. These aren't called donuts nor another knock off name, they are Paczki (pronounced Ponch-ki). They make small batches, so you almost always get nicely warm donut in your little white bag. They have great flavours too. Chocolate pudding (czekolada budyn), Chocolate and Cherry (czekolada z Wisnia), Vanilla Custard (budyn), Raspberry (Malina), Blueberry (Jagoda), Rose Marmalade (Marmolada z Rozy {pronounced roo-szi}), Advocaat, and Toffee and this is just to name the ones I can remember. I cannot talk highly enough of them, and I blame these for my happiness and smiles when I am in the centre of town. I will even fill my sweet pocket in my belly with them after a kilo of Golonka, greedy and pig like I know. But, I know you would do the same!
These are the Rose Marmalade ones, they come sprinkled with Almond slithers. They look lovely, just not for someone like me with a nut allergy.
The little chocolate boys are calling my name!
Can you feel the warmth and love oozing out?
Going. See how fluffy and light they are!
Going. Oh yeah! That is the chocolate pudding centre.
Gone! Absolutely divine.