Today we have reason to celebrate, yesterday was a really dud of a day. Today we honor the Polish Paczki or as it is pronounced (Punch Key). What is this great Polish word, mean simply a pastry or doughnut but not just any doughnut? It is a deep friend piece of dough shaped like a jelly donut and covered with powder sugar, icing or pieces of orange zest. Even some sneaky cooks place a small amount of Spiritus (pure grain alcohol) to the dough before cooking. You can stuff them with jelly, cream, blueberries and apples if you like. There was only one Paczki baker in our family and that was Granny Orlowski, my grandmother. As a kid I watched her throughout the entire preparation and baking procedure. She had all of her ingredients but never gave out her secret way of making them. All I know is that I watched them boil in the oil and float to the top of the pot golden brown and light as a feather. She then set them aside covered them in powder sugar and told me to wait till they cooled. They were so light and that powder sugar made them a treat from heaven with a glass of milk to wash them down. I’m glad I was subject to a great Polish treat that’s been around since the Middle Ages in Poland.
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