KALAMAZOO (WKZO) — For a lot of people the day before Lent is called Fat Tuesday but in Michigan and other Midwest cities with large Polish populations it’s called Paczki day.
A paczki is the Polish version of a donut and is a traditional Fat Tuesday treat.
Joan Bittner owner of the Polish Art Center in Hamtramck says the tradition of making Paczki on this day started in Poland in the Middle Ages as a way for people to empty their pantries of sugar and other sweets before the beginning of Lent.
Despite the cold, people line up for hours outside Polish bakeries waiting to buy dozens of the Polish version of a fried jelly donut.
