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:
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!
to be honest....I'd rather have some of those doughnuts...they look yum!
ReplyDeleteThey ARE yum - but then again, so are those guys in Rio and New Orleans...
ReplyDelete