A Windsor paczki that's easier on your waistline
Nana's Bakery in South Windsor has come up with a low-fat, low-calorie version of the popular paczki dessert and customers just can't get enough, according to shop owner Doug Romanek.
He calls his creation the loczki and he can barely keep up with the demand during Shrove Tuesday, the traditional day of feasting for many Christians before the start of Lent.
"I've cut down on the amount of fat that goes in it, I've cut down on the amount of sugar that goes into the fillings," Romanek told CBC Radio Windsor Morning host Tony Doucette.
Romanek's loczki has about 280 calories and about eight grams of fat, which is a considerable reduction from a typical paczki. The popular paczki are deep-fried pastries jammed with jelly that weigh in at an estimated 600 calories and up to 60 grams of fat.
Low-fat popularity
Romanek was challenged to come up with the healthier version of the sweet Polish treat while attending a health fair at College Avenue Community Centre back in 2000. He set to work immediately.
He started making about five dozen loczki for that first Shrove Tuesday, but the popularity has slowly grown. Last year, about 40 people waited in line for the bakery to open in order to get their hands on a box of loczki.
And the lines don't stop throughout the day. Romanek expects to sell nearly 2,000 loczki this year, which would be on par with sales for the past three Shrove Tuesdays.
The demand is so high, Romanek stopped making the traditional paczki altogether, which is a bold move considering the popularity of the Polish dessert on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day or Fat Tuesday in other Canadian regions.
In addition to reducing the fat and sugar content of his recipe, Romanek bakes his desserts instead of frying them. There are a few other differences, but the baker won't reveal those.
"I can't tell you all my secrets," he said.
Getting prepared
To get prepared for Tuesday's feast, Romanek starts baking around 1 a.m.
Normally it's just Romanek and his son working in the tiny kitchen designed for one person, but to keep up with the demand, Romanek will have seven people pumping out tasty desserts.
"The back of the house is absolutely crazy," Romanek said. "We basically get to our spot, we have about two feet to move and that's about it for the day. We don't move from our spot."
By the end of their frenzied day, staff at Nana's Bakery will scrape dough and filling off the floor. Aprons will be tossed in the trash because they're just not worth keeping.
"We start off trying to be really neat and that usually lasts until maybe 3 p.m., and then it's just forget it," Romanek said.