Fat Thursday marks the last Thursday before the start of the Lent. This last Thursday, prior to Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent, is one of the most important holidays, and it mainly revolves around eating as many doughnuts as possible, all in the name of good luck!!! Doughnuts are considered to bring people happiness and if someone refuses it, may be considered unlucky!

Who would like to be unlucky? And who refuses doughnuts?

Poland’s love affair with doughnuts dates back to the 16th century. Back then pączki were known as kreple. In the 18th century historian Jędrzej Kitowicz, author of the fascinating treaty Description of Customs during the Reign of August III, described modern doughnuts eaten at the court as ‘fluffy and light’, comparing them to the old-fashioned ones which could give someone a black eye when thrown at their face, and therefore proving that whilst the tradition has lasted the recipe has still evolved.

Typical pączki made by my mom!

Typical doughnut in US

Fat Thursday in Poland is called Tłusty Czwartek. It is something I really miss here in New Hampshire…Unfortunately I can’t make delicious pączki, like my mom does…And doughnuts here in USA are just not the same!

Bakeries in Poland open really early on that day and people line up to get some fresh doughnuts. However my mother always made her own and of course, those were the best! And you couldn’t refuse it! Poles would certainly tell you to think twice before you turn one down, if you don’t want to find your fields barren and your barns empty… ( ‘those who don’t eat a stack of pączki on Fat Thursday will have an empty barn and their field destroyed by mice’).