Party Cake Shop in Brookline ready for a busy Fat Tuesday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It's Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, and National Pączki Day. Traditionally, the last day of Pączki season is Fat Tuesday.
Everyone in Brookline and beyond knows Party Cake Shop is known for its Pączkis. Phones are ringing, and the line stretches out the door.
"We have tons and tons of flavors," said Party Cake Shop co-owner Zach Zebrowski. Some flavors include raspberry, strawberry, apricot, lemon, buttercream, peanut butter and more. "We've been working hard frying for at least twelve hours, so three hundred dozen, hopefully, more."
Co-owner Michelle Zebrowski said it's all hands on deck for this high-demand day.
"It's actually our biggest day of the year, even busier than Easter, Christmas, or any of those holidays," said Michelle. "We do have people who come in from all over the city. We have people that come in from out of state."
About eight people make up the staff.
Baker Ben Ferris started working around four o'clock last night.
"It's Pączki time," Ferris said.
For those who don't know, a Pączki is a traditional Polish food. The word Pączki means little package. It was used to use up all the fatty ingredients before Lent started.
"I've tried them all over the city, and not to be biased, but these are the best ones, and I only live two blocks down the road," said customer David Lowther.
Biased or not, customers can't seem to stop coming to the Party Cake Shop. "It's really good. Just when you have one, you can tell the difference between something that's not that great and something that's really nice," said customer Subha Das.
Another customer, Jeff Kunkel, said, "Of course, coming for the best Pączkis in Pittsburgh."
To make the best Paczkis in town, they roll them, fry them, put holes in them, and fill them with special ingredients.
"We got an assortment of everything. I collected them, we're going to give them to family and friends," said customer Debbie Borowski.
It's a sweet treat best shared with others on a day when we can playfully say calories don't count.
