At Rich’s Fresh Market in River Grove, Mardi Gras will be a big day. Artur Hajdus, the store manager, said the night before the Fat Tuesday will include an all-night session of baking.
Hajdus said he expects thousands of people to come to the store on Fat Tuesday, which this year falls on Feb. 13. They’ll be looking at a large display of paczki, the Polish pastry known for its fruit or creamy filling. It’s always in demand on Fat Tuesday.
“We have bakers overnight making paczki,” he said. “We have four big ovens. It’s a beautiful thing!”
Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, which kicks off the season of Lent, a 40-day period in which many will dedicate themselves to sacrifice, going without something special until the day before Easter. Before this period of sacrifice is Fat Tuesday, where, according to catholic.org, “rich foods are consumed as the faithful prepare for time of fasting, abstinence, confession and penance.”
Since Fat Tuesday lands on Feb. 13, many Polish and European bakeries are gearing up. Hajdus said the store opens at 6 a.m. on Fat Tuesday. He said Rich’s bakes almost 40,000 of the paczki.
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“We have paczki filled with jelly, strawberry, raspberry, Bavarian cream, and nice toppings,” he said. “We offer more flavors on Fat Tuesday.”
Hajdus said customers “can go on our Facebook page to order 50 or 100 paczki. We’ll have them ready to go.”
Seph’s Sweets in Elmwood Park is an American bakery with European flair, according to co-owner Rodica Popa
“People have been asking for paczki,” she said. “We will have them on Fat Tuesday.”
Popa said Seph’s Sweets will sell Boston cream, strawberry, raspberry, apricot and custard paczki on Fat Tuesday.
Maryann Pisano is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.