Tuesday, February 5, 2008

Happy Fastnacht Day!

Today is Fat Tuesday (or Shrove Tuesday) – the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent.

This day is celebrated differently all over the world, but where I grew up (in Central Pennsylvania) we call today “Fastnacht Day”. Fastnacht Day is a Pennsylvania Dutch/Amish tradition where one fills up on a special doughnut (called a “fastnacht”) that little old ladies at churches make by the thousands on this one day. These doughnuts are traditionally potato-based, and are fried in lard. The REAL hardcore Fastnacht lovers eat them with syrup (so healthy!). This was traditionally a way for the farmer's wives to use up excess sugar and lard before the Lenten season.

So while Rio de Janeiro celebrates today like this:



And New Orleans celebrates like this:




We simple Pennsylvania German-folk celebrate with these:





It’s no wonder I’m a fat cow! Have a doughnut today and celebrate Fastnacht Day!

2 comments:

Angel said...

to be honest....I'd rather have some of those doughnuts...they look yum!

David Dust said...

They ARE yum - but then again, so are those guys in Rio and New Orleans...

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