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Paczki tradition lives on

Paczki tradition lives on

By Kate Hyland, staff writer
Prospect senior Sabrina Pryztula was working at The Oak Mills Bakery with Fat Tuesday coming up. With her boss knowing how crazy Fat Tuesday is for Paczki lovers, the bakery needed an extra hand. Pryztula was offered $50 to stay home from school and help with the bakery.
“Getting paid $50 cash and getting paid hourly wage? How could I not do it?” Pryztula said.
One way to get your fatty fix in is by eating Paczkis, a traditional Polish pastry. They’re similar to a filled donut, only a paczki is made with more butter and sugar. They hit bakery shelves on Feb. 23, and end on the 28 which is Fat Tuesday.
Sweet T’s bakery owner, Tammy Montesinos, worked at Central Continental Bakery for 28 years before opening Sweet T’s. Montesinos describes a paczki as an enriched donut filled with different fillings. On Paczki Day, Sweet T’s sees an increase in business, since it’s the last day to get Paczkis. People come in to get them to bring into work.
“It’s just something that you do; you eat Paczkis,” said Montesinos.
However, Sweet T’s isn’t the only bakery that makes the pastry. Jenny and Stacy, who requested their last names not be used in the story, are workers at Central Continental Bakery.
On Paczki Day, they have to cover up their name tags so that people don’t know their names and yell at them. The lines are so long the customers get impatient, so if they see the workers names they get demanding. But for the most part, everyone waits their turn.
When Paczkis are being sold, they are often in the back getting ready to sell at 3 a.m.
Pryztula’s favorite Paczki is rose flavored – made with real rose petals and rose jam.
The first time she ever had a Paczki was when she was a little girl. She described the first bite of a Paczki as the sweetest, yet lightest dessert she could think of.
Pryztula also thinks Paczkis are so popular locally due to the large Polish communities in Arlington Heights and Mount Prospect. According to Datausa.io, the second most common country of origin in Arlington Heights is Poland. However, regardless of ethnicity, everyone comes in to get Paczkis when they’re around.
“It makes everyone happy – it gives them something to smile about,” Stacy said.

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    Uncle EddieMar 3, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    Very nice article. Thanks for sending it.

    Reply