Don’t spend all your energy on Mardi Gras festivities, because “Paczki Day” deserves your attention as well.  Pronounced “poonch-key,” these delectable Polish doughnuts aren’t your typical retail Tim Hortons or Krispy Kreme dessert; E.M. Chrusciki Bakery in the Broadway Market (999 Broadway Ave.) proudly churns them out fresh, and the demand - particularly today - has been a challenge to keep up with. 

“Yesterday and today were nuts,” said Ania Gurnari, the daughter of E.M. Chrusciki’s owners. Customers can buy paczkis in bulk - and trust us, you’ll want more than one.  It’s $5.50 for 6 and $10.50 for a dozen.

Gurnari explained the process for crafting a paczki, which, to our surprise, takes over an hour.  Yeast is the crucial ingredient in the jelly-filled doughnut, and the rising and frying - when done correctly - results in a pleasantly sweet, melt-in-your-mouth sensation.

“One thing my mother likes to mention is the golden ring around the center of the doughnut,” Ania said.  “It’s a good indicator that the doughnut is perfectly fried.”

Three flavors and three toppings are available, so technically there are nine combinations.  Prune, raspberry (the most popular), and lemon (relatively new) are the filling choices, while the coating can either be plain, powdered sugar, or glazed.  I ate a raspberry glazed paczki immediately - prune may have been a little risky - and that was a strong choice, but I bought one of each filling to take home.

No, they’re not the healthiest - a paczki is roughly 500 calories and 25 grams of fat (the fat is delicious, by the way!) - but it’s the day before Lent, after all.  You’ll make enough sacrifices in the coming weeks.  Good grief, just eat a paczki!

E.M. Chrusciki has grown so popular that it’s expanding into the Southtowns soon.  The second location will be at 80 West Drullard in Lancaster, between Sheldon and Central Avenues, just seconds from Walden.