Last Tuesday, when everyone else was focused on Delegapalooza Tuedsay, I was in Detroit's Hamtramck enclave celebrating Paczki Day. This is the Polish-American version of Mardi Gras. And my goodness, I had a great time.
Watch and enjoy. (And to all you Paczki know-it-alls, I acknowledge that I lapsed a couple of times and used "paczki" as a singular when it's plural. My bad.)
Can you recommend other ethnic doughnuts? We want to hear all about them!
Mo Rocca has appeared on a bunch of shows, including 'The Daily Show,' 'I Love the 80s,'...
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Paczki Day 2008
Posted Feb 11th 2008 9:10PM by Mo Rocca
Filed under: Mo's Videos, Mo Rocca, Paczki
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Mo Rocca appears on a bunch of shows, including CBS News Sunday Morning (with the indescribably wonderful Charles Osgood), The Tonight Show on NBC, and NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! He's a sometime judge on Iron Chef and was featured on Telemundo's Amore Descarado. Last year he starred on Broadway in the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. His expose "All the President's Pets" was published by Crown in 2004.
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Reader Comments ( Page 2 of 4)
16. I guess I have to get my velvet and corset out of storage now . . .
mo-NEEK-a at 11:01PM on Feb 11th 2008
17. Ahh, Jackie, my child from another mother...
Blayze, sorry to sound like a b----. I really do want to know how it was.
And I DO want a european vacation!
Gabrielle at 10:58PM on Feb 11th 2008
18. Oh, down in Texas we have the sopapilla. Guess I should mention that.
mo-NEEK-a at 11:01PM on Feb 11th 2008
19. Sadly I didn't get a Paczki this year!
I had spinal fusion surgery on Feb. 5th so no Paczki for me! Personally I like the prune flavored ones!
By the way if you ever happen to be in Hamtramack they have some of the best Rock Bars around!
Smalls, The Painted Lady, The Belmont, Paychecks,The New Dodge, Mephistos. All Great Places to catch local music.
And you must eat at Polish Village!
A quaint authentic basement eating establishment!
Long Live Hamtramack!
Peace, K
Tricky at 11:52PM on Feb 11th 2008
20. The absinthe? The brand I have, Absente, tastes more like a anise liqueur than the really bitter stuff it's supposed to taste like. It's not bad and it's 110 proof but it lacks a European charm.
Blayze at 11:52PM on Feb 11th 2008
21.
I have tried the real stuff-but only a little-(I'm Bohemian and Scottish so my Scots side won out!)
Can we go to Prague??? I have relatives we can stay with!
I have velvet gowns for all the ladies but only two tophats so the guys will have to duke it out(but JG can wear my Fez!)
Andrea-The Green Faerie! at 12:37AM on Feb 12th 2008
22. My dearest Mo,
Norwegians serve Multekrem-a Krumkakke filled with cloudberries and whipped cream.
You can also have Lefse filled with butter and sugar (and sometimes Lingonberry jam)
I live in a large Scandinavian neighborhood-The King and Queen of Norway once visited and were the Grand Marshals in the Syttende Mai parade.
(You should visit here then!)
Multrekrem makes up for Lutefisk!
Uff DA!
Andrea at 12:58AM on Feb 12th 2008
23. I finally realize the depth of the scars from growing up in a "tradition apathetic" household. Donuts came from Dunkin', and I never sported beads or danced while eating them! I'm so deprived! The only cure for my misery is Absinthe...in Europe? I'm sure I could get used to wearing a velvet corset.
Suli at 6:47AM on Feb 12th 2008
24. Amazing!!!My daughter & granddughter & myself were in Poland. And we loved these doughnuts. It was at a carnival site & they were smaller but delicious. we never knew what they were called until I saw you on TV. If you know anyplace to get them in New Jersey let us know. Thanks
Mary Devlin at 9:16AM on Feb 12th 2008
25. AW MO
I feel cheated...here in Amish Paradise, we only have fastnachts....nothing so creamy & delicious & dripping with sin as the paczki! I purchased an "imported" box last week...it was like going to a brothel...where they served absinthe!;)
DameBuddyBoo at 10:19AM on Feb 12th 2008
26. Wouldn't it be funny if Mo had a rabid faction of fans who because easily irritated and super-defensive of Mo - like the "Claymates" - and we could call them the "Mo-rons"?
And then Mo, like Clay Aiken, would denounce them and they would constantly be trying to clarify themselves "Yes, I am a fan, but I am NOT a Mo-ron..." until they'd kind of sheepishly fade away like the Ellen Jamesians....
Just a thought. I wish I had a paczski.
Gabrielle at 11:10AM on Feb 12th 2008
27. I find Mo Rocca really sexy. I hope one day I get to meet him in person. Hey, Mo, come to Hawaii!
kaleo at 11:33AM on Feb 12th 2008
28. As a native of Detroit whose grandparents lived in Hamtramck, I loved this piece of reporting! So fun to see Mo getting in the apron and working in the kitchen. The babcia running the show at the bakery was very cute too, but I hope she got some sleep after the big day was over!
As to other nationalities' donuts, others have already mentioned beignets from New Orleans, but they definitely deserve another shout-out! When I lived there I loved to go to Cafe du Monde (the classic place to get them), and they don't taste the same anywhere else in the US, if you can even find them.
Also, in Texas we had the Mexican tradition of sopapillas, triangles of fried dough with cinnamon sugar (some places put chocolate sauce and whipped cream but i think that's overkill).
Also Polish and fried but lighter (not heavy like the paczki) is the chruzchiki [I am perfectly willing to concede that this is probably misspelled; it means "angel wings"]; depending on who makes them they can be more like an elephant ear/funnel cake consistency or more like a crispy cookie, but it belongs in that deep-fried family, and they have powdered sugar on them like a beignet.
Shannon at 11:37AM on Feb 12th 2008
29. I have made something similar all my adult life...............however they are called Pop-Overs, filled with custard.....I was just wondering what nationality the originated from??......anyone know??
Sherri at 11:56AM on Feb 12th 2008
30.
pop-overs (of which I make darn good ones) remind me of YORKSHIRE PUDDING ...seem to be related.
Damebuddyboo, describe your Amish treat!!!
then send me some!
Gabs, the "Claymate" phenom cracks me up...you might be on to something all ready ready all ready.
:)
Now for lunch....pierogies!!! all Pittsburgh born-bots KNOW about pierogies....sooo gooood.
ah,Clem at 12:47PM on Feb 12th 2008