That’s right, it’s paczki time again!
The delicious, delectable pre-Lenten treat has actually been frying up for weeks at bakeries around Lorain County — and especially Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery on Cooper-Foster Park Road in Amherst.
Owner Tim Kiedrowski said he and his staff — a mix of employees, friends and family — sold a record 48,000 last year and plan to “at least do that” this year.
He’ll open his doors at 4 a.m. Tuesday and go “till we’re done” Tuesday night. (Last year he was open until 8:30 p.m., he said.)
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Paczki — for the lesser informed — are generally enjoyed on Mardis Gras, or the day before Lent. Traditionally, the reason for making pączki was to use up all the lard, sugar, eggs and fruit in the house, because they were forbidden to be consumed due to Catholic fasting practices during Lent, according to Wikipedia.
Kiedrowski’s offers paczki with four filling options — apricot, rose, poppy seed and prune — as well as plain, which Kiedrowski prefers to call “sugared.” They cost 85 cents each, or $10 a dozen.
Kiedrowski calls it “a family and city tradition.”
He rents a truck specifically to bring in all the extra supplies, he said. Among the supplies, 3,800 pounds of flour, 600 pounds of sugar and more than 17 buckets of 40 pounds each of flavoring, he said.
Still, he admits it’s a challenge.
“Logistically, getting them all done at the right time — it’s hard to believe,” he said.
“This is our Super Bowl,” Kiedrowski said.
The chaos at Kiedrowski’s could pay off, however.
What Kiedrowski calls “one big happy day” will include lines to the end of the plaza at points, according to Kiedrowski.
He said he’ll have line runners to bring out orders for anyone who’s called them in, besides taking fresh sugar paczki to anyone waiting, as well as pop, coffee and possibly something stronger if you know the right person.
“That’s the fun of a mom and pop howntown shop,” Kiedrowski said.
Kiedrowski, who said he’s actually been selling paczki since Feb. 14 this year, plans to continue sales through lent. Paczki sales will make up about 25 percent of his profits for the the year, he said.
“People are hungry for tradition,” Kiedrowski said.
