I will brave wearing tight pants today, and brave eating three fastnacht's!!!!
Today is Fastnacht Day, also known as Shrove Tuesday or Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent when people traditionally eat up whatever sugar, eggs, butter, flour and lard is in their larders they have on hand before the season of fasting starts. Not that I fast mind you, like I have the will power. Fastnacht Day is an annual Pennsylvania Dutch celebration and the word Fastnacht translates to "Fast Night" in English. The tradition is to eat the very best foods, which are part of the German tradition, and lots to eat before the Lenten fast. Fastnacht's are essentially doughnuts, without the hole, and squarish, and are generally just plain or lightly powdered, also made with yeast, not baking powder. All are crispy on the outside and fluffy air inside and also not as sweet as regular doughnuts. Having grown up in an area of Pennsylvania Dutch and later in Bucks County, it's popular business and one that celebrates Fastnacht Day, I have witnessed the throng of people that come out early Tuesday morning to ensure they're able to get their mitts on a box of them or just a few. I can recall my late grandmother and her church lady friends making them by the thousands back in the day...and they'd be sold out by noon. I got two dozen lightly powdered to take into work today, from Oak Grove Farm which make them pretty close to how they are supposed to be made and look.
of course, we were also treated to another powdered morning...taken at 6:05am from my boudoir windows.
Now getting to work may be another story. No denying it is soooo beautiful! I'll take some snaps and share later today. Now go get a Fastnacht!!!
Enjoy those special treats!
ReplyDeleteSo many things right now, Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Valentine's Day, Chinese New Year...and I thought the holidays were over.
DeleteYour right, a lot of fun to partake in.
DeleteHuntleyBiGuy: On the Polish side we have paczki (pronounced poonch-key) which are similar to yours, but filled with various tasty things like raspberry fillings, Bavarian cream, fresh fruit (they slice them in half for that). They can be powdered, glazed or topped with chocolate for the Bavarian cream. Very hard to pass up.
ReplyDeleteThey sound good too!!!! Let's work off our calories together, wink!
DeleteThis tradition always had me when you told me about it. And I hate to tell you baby, the Fastnacht's are not what's making your pants tight.
ReplyDeleteYou got more snow?
Well quit the flapping ...I never heard you complain sweet cheeks....
DeleteShame they don't have holes. I can only imagine what you and the Lad would do with those. I can't lie, I would indulge in these...several!!!!
ReplyDeleteWho have you been talking too?
DeleteIn parts of Maryland, the treats are called Kinklings, or Kuechles and are only sold in bakeries on Shrove Tuesday. I may go out and get some if the weather improves. Your love delicious! Your co-workers must love you.
ReplyDeleteI keep them well fed!
DeleteFirst off, Welcome Back!!!!!! I've never heard of fastnachts, so thank you for introducing me to it. They look delicious! I'm going to hunt them down and try some in the spirit of learning something new!
ReplyDeleteYou're a generous coworker for sharing your scrumptious Fastnacht's! I bet they won't stop stuffing their mouths with your tasty Fastnacht's either. Beautiful snow picture!
I loved this post. I remember Fastnacht day well. Both my grandparents and parents celebrated the day. I can remember the local neighborhood church would put the sign out announcing the sale. While I don't fast or do Lenten I'm not above eating them. I bought four fastnachts today, even here at the beach yesterday for the day. No snow here but enjoyed your snowy snapshot. Magical I dare say.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you found some Agnes!
DeleteWe had them in Ohio where I grew up. Yummy things! But, of course one must eat them...especially in cold climates. They will help one stay warmer when the snow falls before Spring pops in.
ReplyDeleteI love my comfort foods and dough and breads but can think of far more fun things to keep me warm.... mostly done horizontally ...
DeleteWelcome back, our long fast of your posts is broken. I would fill those with pastry cream, or chocolate cream.
ReplyDeleteOh YES!
ReplyDeleteLove them. They're delish.
Love the period of permissiveness before Lent and Easter. It's very Catholic...
XOXO
Yes, don't you just love this time....I do, but ignore the religious part, lol!! Of course I do!!!
DeletePancakes made today for Shrove Tuesday alias Pancake Day. Then, as now, it was easier for the rich to fast as they had extra poundage on.
ReplyDeleteWe had a sugar coating of snow (about as thick as the sugar on those Fastnachts) a month or so ago; it lasted 2 hours. Where have all the seasons gone? Gone with climate change every one.
This past weekend I made homemade gingerbread pancakes...they were scrumptious.
DeleteHim indoors makes pancakes, but nothing as snazzy as your ginger pancakes - try plain pancakes with jam and clotted cream (or ordinary if there is no clotted cream available).
DeleteAround here, Fastnachts are called donut holes. I'll have to look for a gluten free recipe because now I've a craving.
ReplyDeleteDonut holes! LMAO!!!!!
DeleteI wouldn't mind trying one of those.
ReplyDeleteDelicious and beautiful at the same time.
ReplyDeleteThose look SO good and I’m not even a donut fan. Your winter wonderland is breathtaking.
ReplyDeleteWe've never been in Amsterdam for Fastnacht Day, so have yet to try one - but their New Year equivalent oliebollen are delicious! As Helen says, over here it's all about pancakes - although I must admit, we've not any in years. Jx
ReplyDeleteI have yet to try oliebollen. My mouth is generally full of other Dutch assets.
DeleteThe snow clears fast. Many of the roads are already dry. My mom used to make Fasnacht's, the bought ones are nothing like homemade.
ReplyDeleteI agree. My grandmothers were heavenly. Oak Groves are pretty close to her's but not quite.
DeleteTundra Bunny here...
ReplyDeleteThose Fastnachts look scrumptious, Maddie!
Bon retour Maîtresse, juste à temps pour les célébrations de février.
ReplyDeleteLes fastnachts ont l'air délicieux. J'ai fait des fastnachts lors de voyages en Pennsylvanie et j'ai remarqué les beaux garçons hollandais de Pennsylvanie.
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Oh, ne sont-ils pas délicieux ? Et oui... certains des garçons de Pennsylvanie et Amish peuvent être carrément chauds et beaux !! Si jamais vous revenez, je peux vous en présenter un, clin d’œil clin d’œil.
DeleteThe riders down in Mamou are drinking beer, chasing the rooster to make the chicken and sausage gumbo, Fred's Bar the place to be opened at 4am this morning and they will roll out the last patrons around 4pm tell every one Go Home. lol... Happy Mardi Gras. My Dear....
ReplyDeleteI can imagine you'll have some big going ons in your neck of the woods. Happy Mardi Gras to you!
DeleteIt's no coincidence that all this need to eat sweets hits us at the long end of winter. Hahaha. Have a good day!
ReplyDeleteDon't remind me....3 months and swimsuit season is here again. My ass cheeks will look like two VW Beetles trying to pass each other down a one-way street.
DeleteWhen I was younger and lived in England, I grew up with having pancakes for supper on Pancake Day, but I could easily be converted to try these gems.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get out to get any Fastnacht's today, so I'm on my way to the fridge to see what fat needs to be consumed before midnight. Those powdered ones looks so yummy!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading your post I went to Reading Terminal Market and picked up three!
ReplyDeleteI didn't know this very interesting tradition. Did you know that in the Ambrosian Rite, Carnival lasts until the end of Saturday? We don't have Mardi Gras, but Saturday Gras. Read here
ReplyDelete