Ingredient Thu Feb 19 2009

Paczki: Sounds Like Delicious

Today is the Thursday before Lent begins, which means that you need to use up all the sweet ingredients in your house before Sunday arrives and suddenly you can't have any of the good stuff until Easter. Fat Thursday is often celebrated with the eating of paczki, a raised donut filled with fruit, custard, icing or other sinful goody. If you're looking to jump onto the paczki wagon, here are some choice places:

Delightful Pastries (5927 W Lawrence, 773-545-7215) makes paczki year-round in many flavors (Rose Petal, Plum Butter, Custard, Blueberry Jelly) but only makes the Boozy Custard flavor during Lent. Yes, it's boozy. They are also holding a paczki-filling party this Sunday afternoon--admission is $30 but you get to take home some delicious pastry! Contact them--RSVP required, space is limited.

Bridgeport Bakery (2907 S Archer, 773-523-1121). Read Chicagoist's review from 2006. They sell something called a "bacon bun," so I imagine you'll be there soon.

Dinkel's, (3329 N. Lincoln, 77-281-7300) and Nielsen's (2053 Ridge, Homewood, 708-957-8899) make a fresh strawberry paczki.

Oak Mill Bakery (5635 West Belmont, 773-237-5799).

Also, if you aren't up for the sclep, Dominick's has them as well.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (0)