Fat Thursday

Not only Poland loves sweets.  Meet foreign counterparts

Fat Thursday is celebrated in Poland every year just before the end of the carnival.  What is it like abroad?  This exceptionally delicious tradition has its counterparts almost all over the world.  Is the donut also the main character there?  The answer is here!

Fat Thursday is certainly one of the favorite dates on the Polish calendar.  It is on this day that they set aside all their dietary commitments and decide to fully embrace their sweet fantasy.  We are not alone in our love of pastries, candies, and other sweets – sweets are loved all over the world.

Rose filling, custard, chocolate, orange peel, marmalade, powdered sugar – these are just some of the dozens of possibilities that can be used to diversify the main character of Fat Thursday.  It is, of course, a sweet, delicious, and one-of-a-kind donut.  Is an exquisite confectionery product so popular only in Poland?  Here are the counterparts of our sweet tradition in other countries.

*Shrove Tuesday

The word shrove is a form of the English word “shrive”. It basically  means to obtain forgiveness for one’s sins by way of Confession and doing penance.  It is one of the pillars Christian faith, to start the 40 days period (Lent) with “ clean card”. Consequently, Shrove Tuesday was named after the custom of Christians to be “shriven” before the start of Lent.

Fat Thursday – foreign equivalents

*Pancake Tuesday – Brits love  their pancakes

The British People,  just like the Polish ones get easily  carried away by sweet madness during the last days of the carnival.  In the British Isles, however, it is not Thursday, but Tuesday is a day when all residents seem much happier.  All because of the pancakes.  These can be served in a variety of ways.  The most popular are: with jam, chocolate, and whipped cream.

Pancake Tuesday is also associated with  one incredibly unique, and  different tradition. There is a famous Pancake Race organized on this day, only once a year!  The pancake race that began in the 15th century.  It differs from the classic race in that the participants are running while tossing a pancake in the pan.  I must admit that this is an extremely original form of combining business with pleasure.

*Fastelavnssondag – Scandinavia loves donuts

The people of Scandinavia show their love for sweetness on the last Sunday before Lent.  Just like in Poland, donuts play the main role in this delicious event.  Apart from them, the inhabitants mainly eat sweet rolls and cream filled buns.  The holiday is celebrated primarily in Norway, mainly by the youngest.

*The Italian “ Giovedi Grasso”

Giovedi Grasso (Fat Thursday) is celebrated in Italy, but in fact, is not much  different from Shrove Tuesday (martedì grasso). In Venice at the turn into the twentieth century, for example, it was  celebrated by: masquerades;  a battle of flowers on the main city  Plaza;  a general illumination and the opening of the lottery. Crowds of people in  colorful carnival costumes, the dancing, shouting, and screaming would be present in every corner of the city. The most popular carnival food, are deep fried and coated in sugar all kinds of dough products: Angel wings, Castagnoli (mini doughnuts), Fritelle etc.

*Spanish  Jueves lardero

It is celebrated on Thursday, as the last Thursday of Carnival before the Lent.  In Catalan-speaking areas is called  “dijous gras”,  literally a children’s holiday. In Albacete in central Spain, Jueves lardero is celebrated with a  special square pastry called a “bizcocho” and a round pastry called a “mona”. Except for a special pastry, the second must part of the  meal is prepared with a special sausages.

*Russian Maslenitsa

The Russians prove once again that when you want to have fun, you must have it all.  Their version of Fat Thursday does not last a day, but a whole week.  Maslenitsa is an Orthodox tradition that begins exactly seven weeks before Easter.  It is also called cheese week or meat-fill because it is the beginning of meatless fasting.  Each day of Maslenitsa is associated with separate traditions, but during the whole week the Russians are accompanied mainly by pancakes.

*Mardi Gras- The French are having fun. New Orleans is Partying !

The French equivalent of Fat Thursday is celebrated much more loudly than in any other country.  Just like in Great Britain, it takes place last Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.  A huge appetite for sweets is accompanied by numerous parades and festivals that day.  The famous party on Bourbon Street, in New Orleans ( former French colony), always attract crowds, dressed up, with traditional, must have  beads necklaces, hungry for some good old King Cake, crab boil and of course beignets ( French  square doughnuts)

*Schmotziger Donnerstag – Western neighbors like sweets too

The German version of Fat Thursday is most popular in the Rhineland.  The holiday is closely related to   “ Woman only Carnival”.  On this day, men should avoid the tie as it can be cut by women when they least expect it.  The sweet tradition, just like in France, is accompanied by numerous parades and events.  Our western neighbors on this day, just like us, eat donuts the most.  Apparently, the confectioners there have countless ways to do it.

*Paczki Day in the US

It is a special holiday celebrated on the same day as Fat Thursday.   It is celebrated by  people of Polish descends, living in large diasporas across the USA. The city of Chicago and New York are the prime example. The people have only one goal for the day – eat as many donuts as possible.  The native tradition found its way overseas due to the large number of Polish emigrants who settled here and brought their traditions with them. And since the polish doughnuts are so yummy, well, the rest is history

*How about in Israel?

It is not exactly the same holiday, or even the same time of the year, nevertheless, the love for sweets, is endless. The inhabitants of Israel, just like Polish people , have a vast feeling for donuts.   In Hebrew , they are called “Sufganiyot”. They are the main characters of the plates during Hanukkah – the joyful holiday of Jews.  They are sharing the star dish with only one more food – Latkes ( potato pancakes). During Hanukkah, eating fatty foods (baked or fried in oil and olive oil) also commemorates the miracle of the multiplication of oil. One of the most important festivals of Judaism lasts eight days and is celebrated in remembrance of the formation of the Maccabean family in the second century B.C.E.

*Tsiknopempti Greek way

 Fat Thursday here on the islands ,  can be translated  into: Smelly Thursday, Charred Thursday, or Smoky Thursday. The celebrations of the end of Carnival, and beginning of Lent, is celebrated by the consumption of large amounts of grilled and roasted meats.