You don't have to be from Poland to appreciate a great Paczki,(POONCH-KEY) and if you're from Toledo, you can just take a trip over to Lagrange Street where the city's Polish International Village has launched the start of Paczki Days.
The first Paczki Days in Toledo started 27 years ago in 1990 and was created to raise funds for neighborhood improvements.
It has now evolved into a perennial neighborhood event that attracts not only residents from the ONE Village community in North Toledo, but also from the surrounding region.
The first customer this year drove up from Tiffin to capture his bounty of Paczki.
Thousands of visitors are expected to again to visit the old Library building at Central and Lagrange for the three-day celebration before the start of Lent.
Alfonso Narvaez with One Village Council says they will sell "Thousands and have 18,000 on order for this year."
The tradition of the giant fruit-filled pastries began many years ago in Poland when families would empty their cupboards of all their ingredients to make the pastry just before the fasting of Lent began.
Narvaez and others in Toledo say the most important ingredient baked into the iconic Paczki is "love" - and there is plenty of that to find in Polish Village again this year.
This year's Paczki flavors include chocolate, raspberry, blueberry, apple, custard, lemon, apricot and raisin, along with the traditional plain and prune-filled paczki.
Prices are $7 for six, $14 per dozen, and $12 for Polish coffee cakes.
Hours:
Monday, February 27 – 8:00am to 6:00pm
Tuesday, February 28– 5:00am to 2pm (or when sold out)
