Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Fasnacht Day!

Today is the day before Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent, and many parts of the world have different traditions such as Mardi Gras or Carnival. Here in our part of Pennsylvania, Shrove Tuesday is known as Fasnacht Day. A Penna German tradition, Fasnachts are basically a doughnut without a hole. Traditionally made with potatoes and yeast, they can be served plain or coated with sugar or powdered sugar. Many churches will make these as an annual fundraiser. Our grocery store also makes them all day long trying to keep up with the demand. They are so popular you could smell the Fasnachts before you even entered the store. There are many spellings of Fasnacht, Faschnacht, Fausnaughts, but it doesn't matter how you spell it, it will still "eat good" giving this Tuesday its other nickname of Fat Tuesday!

4 comments:

Time Traveling in Costume said...

Sounds kind of like the beignets we've had in New Orleans too.
Thank you Nancy. Now I want to make some of them. Or just eat some!
Val

Marlena said...

I hate to say it, they may look like beignets, but they're not. Fasnachts are much, much heavier. But very good.

parTea lady said...

Those fasnachts sure look delicious. Wish they had such a thing in my local stores.

Marilyn Miller said...

Yummmm! They looks so good.