Clik here to view.
One of the sweetest traditions that Polish immigrants to Chicago brought with them was the Fat Tuesday treat called paczki, which were created in the Middle Ages as a way to get rid of extra sugar, lard and eggs ahead of Lent.
Paczki have long since outgrown their Polish roots. Bakeries across Chicago and the suburbs produce the pastries by the thousands leading up to Fat Tuesday, which this year will be March 4. The treats now come in a variety of flavors from prune to apple to strawberry. They can resemble jelly-filled doughnuts dusted with powdered sugar or look like sandwiches with the fruit filling in the middle.
Area bakeries take hundreds of orders in advance of Fat Tuesday and long lines can be seen as paczki fans arrive to pick up their pre-orders or try their luck to get one by walking in.
Here are 11 bakeries on the Southwest Side of Chicago and the southern suburbs that are known for their paczki prowess.
Beverly Bakery & Cafe, 10528 S. Western Ave., Chicago. 773-238-5580. beverlycoffeeroasters.com
Pticek & Son Bakery, 5523 S. Narragansett Ave., Chicago. 773-585-5500. pticeksbakery.com
Weber’s Bakery, 7055 W. Archer Ave., Chicago. 773-586-1234. webersbakery.com
Orland Bakery, 14850 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park. 708-349-8516. orlandbakery.com. Paczki available all year long.
Honey Fluff, 6566 Joliet Road, Countryside. 708-579-1826. honeyfkuff.com.
Huck Finn, 3 locations, 3414 S. Archer and 6650 S. Pulaski in Chicago, and 10501 S. Cicero in Oak Lawn. 773-247-5515. huckfinnrestaurant.com
Witek’s Bakery, 8807 W. 95th St., Hickory Hills. 708-233-6603. witeksbakery.square.site
Wolf’s Bakery, 3241 W. 95th St., Evergreen Park, 708-422-7429. wolfsbakery.com.
Gorka Deli, 15118 S. LaGrange Road, Orland Park. 708-364-7335. Traditional Polish deli. gorka-deli.hub.biz
The Velvet Bakery, 5168 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn. 708-424-2095. thevelvetbakeryoaklawn.com
Talerico Bakery Cafe, 7334 W. 63rd St., Summit. 708-496-6200. talericobakery.com
The post Paczki Day favorites appeared first on Southwest Regional Publishing.
