Damn the calories.....

...full speed ahead!  Tomorrow is Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras.  In our area we have a large faction of Polish descendants, many of whom live in a city within the city of Detroit, known as Hamtramck.  

One of the biggest events of the year is Paczki Day, which is tomorrow.  People travel from miles around to wait in line for these beauties ~~ 

That's not to say you can only get them in a Hamtramck bakery.  Other bakeries, donut shops and grocery stores sell their knock-off versions of paczki but don't be misled-- there's nothing like a 'real' bundle of decadence from Hamtramck.  To get more on the history of paczki check out Hamtramck's website.

The whole point of Fat Tuesday is to eat up all of the unhealthy stuff you have in your cupboards so you can fast on Ash Wednesday and make it through the day using up leftover calories and fat from Tuesday.  Or some such nonsense.  Really, how can you rationalize consuming a paczek (that's only one) that contains roughly 400 calories and 30 grams of fat?  Nevermind.

I polled my coworkers today to see if there was any interest in me picking up paczki for tomorrow.  I could hear the glee in their email responses!  I've been nominated for employee of the day, president of MetLife, sainthood!  I went directly to the bakery after work, deciding that it might be better than getting up at 4 AM tomorrow to stand in line in the dark in an unfamiliar city waiting for the precious cargo.  I saw the local TV station there, as they are every year, as if it is the story of the day.  The super cute  (ok, ok,  AND young) reporter did pop his head out from the baking area just long enough for me to see him.  Eye candy.

After waiting about 10 minutes in line, I read off my order of the desired fillings to the counter girl:  buttercream, custard, apple, raspberry, blueberry, and lemon, handed over $12.95 for the dozen and headed back home.  I held the box near Kevin's nose at the kitchen table and he knew right away they were paczki.  If he's good and there's a leftover I'll bring it home for him.  I have to behave and only have one.

I will only eat one.

I will only eat one.

I will only eat one.

I will....