Tłusty Czwartek Theme

You might be familiar with the English name “Fat Thursday” (kind of like Fat Tuesday, except on Thursday), but in Polish, it’s known as Tłusty Czwartek and is best known for pączki, that is, donuts. Everybody in Poland eats donuts. People will stand in long lines that wrap around the block just to celebrate Tłusty Czwartek with a donut. Faworki (angel wings) are an acceptable alternative, but donuts rule supreme.

And really, how can someone not love a holiday that celebrates donuts? Of course, the donuts in Poland tend to be a little different than the ones you’ll find in the United States. They think our American donuts with holes in the middle are pretty strange. And they’re typically filled with some sort of sweet filling and sprinkled with something I’ve never quite figured out. But they’re delicious!

Tłusty Czwartek is celebrated the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. Traditionally, the reason for making donuts was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house since their consumption was forbidden during Lent.

And to celebrate, everyone should go out and get themselves a donut! I recommend trying to find a Polish-style donut if you really want to get in the spirit of things which means no hole in the middle and with a sweet-flavored goo in the middle. You probably won’t find them with the yellowish-orange sprinkles on top, but extra points if you do!