Be a paczki pro this Fat Tuesday: What they are, where to find them, and how to say it

It's Fat Tuesday — time to break out your favorite pair of sweatpants and indulge in those round, fruity, calorie- and fat-laden desserts from Poland, paczkis!

Usually occurring in February or March, Fat Tuesday is commonly referred to under its French name Mardi Gras, but it also has other names like Shrove Tuesday and Paczki Day.

In many Christian communities, Fat Tuesday offers the last cheat day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent, a time of discipline and fasting. Catholics would then attempt to use up all lard, butter and sugar in their houses as a "last hurrah" before the season started.

What is Lent? We explain the basics behind the customs of this holy season leading to Easter

Paczki have been the traditional thing to eat in Europe for as long as anyone can remember, at least since the Middle Ages, according to the Detroit Free Press. They are made with a yeasty dough and are usually filled with fruit fillings such as raspberry, strawberry, blueberry, apricot, prune and more. There’s also custard and cream-filled paczki.

And when you buy one of these treats, make sure to say it right. “Paczki” is pronounced POONCH-key and is plural; one pastry is a paczek (POON-check).

Wondering where you can find fresh paczki in Greater Columbus? Here are some local bakeries that will be offering the tasty treats:

Buckeye Donuts

The University District donut shop at 1998 N. High St. in Columbus is offering paczki Tuesday in six flavors: apple, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, lemon and custard. The 1363 S. High Street location will also be serving the desserts.

Resch's Bakery

The East Side bakery at 4061 E. Livingston Ave. in Columbus began offering paczki Feb. 18. They will be available until Easter in lemon, blueberry, strawberry and chocolate flavors.

Wolf's Ridge Brewing

The brewery at 215 N. 4th St. is offering a paczki and beer special Tuesday where customers can get a flight of five beers and add on their choice of paczki from Rudy’s Strudel in Parma. Flavors include blueberry and Sweet Moses Hot Chocolate.

The Original Goodie Shop

The long standing bakery at 2116 Tremont Center in Upper Arlington will be offering paczki in lemon, blueberry, raspberry, cherry, apricot and strawberry. The Original Goodie Shop also will have a New Orleans favorite: King Cake. Handmade and baked from scratch, the cakes can be filled with cinnamon, raspberry, lemon, cream cheese, blueberry, cherry, and apricot.

My Old World Bakery

The Hilltop bakery at 962 Demorest Road began offering orders on paczki last week and customers can order King Cake, too.

Micah Walker is the Dispatch trending reporter. Reach her at mwalker@dispatch.com or 740-251-7199. Follow her on Twitter @micah_walker701.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Paczki in Columbus on Fat Tuesday 2022: Bakeries offering Polish treat