fastnacht?

[mod*betty]

Not being originally from the area, I had no idea what fastnacht was when I saw them in the local grocery circular. Now with the help of Wikipedia I have been filled in as to the tradition of these pre-Lenten treats, and was wondering where might be a good place to sample them?

[Andrew Fenton]

Hmm, I wonder if any of the Amish stands at RTM have fastnacht?

You might also try the Polish version: paczki, available from bakeries in Port Richmond. (For what it's worth, that thread has a reference to fasnacht- but no source for buying them.)

Edited January 30, 2008 by Andrew Fenton (log)

[ludja]

Hope you have some luck finding a place that sells them!

Here is a recipe for Faschingskrapfen (Mardigras Lenten Doughnuts) from Germany/Austria. click

They can be made "plain" or filled with jelly.

[etalanian]

If you are from a little north of the city, Yum Yum donuts make the traditional potato doughnuts that the Pennsylvania Dutch eat. (To my mind Yum Yum makes the best doughnuts in the area all year - not those airy, flimsy things, but really substantial, satisfying, tasty doughnuts.)

One shop is at 500 W. Street Rd. in Warminster, PA. Another is Broad Street and route 309, Colmar, PA. And another one at route 309 and N. Broad Street in Lansdale (north of the 5 points intersection.)

Eileen

[rlibkind]

Dutch Country Meats and the Reading Terminal Market, whose owner has been de-emphasizing fresh meats and bringing in prepared foods, especially German cured and smoked meats and cold cuts, has also started selling German-style baked goods from Haegele's bakery in the Northeast. He told me he hoped to have Fastnachts from Haegele's for pre-Lenten indulgences.

[lancastermike]

In Lancaster the whole county will be covered waist deep in the things. Some of the best are made at local church kitchens. One of the most famous is Holy Trinity in Columbia. They sell a ton of the things and the are so popular it is by reservation only. Sort of like reserving pizza dough at Taconellis. The real deal are just plain fried dough. Those with sugar either powdered or granulated are not the real deal. Some places even glaze them, like donuts, but that is also not authentic.

It will be hard to find a place of business that won't have some that people bring to work with them on Tuesday.

I would certainly imagine the Amish vendors at RTM will be hawking them.

[rlibkind]

Jake Fisher, proprietor of Dutch Country Meats at the RTM, confirmed to me today that he will have Fastnachts from Haegele's next Tueday, and only next Tuesday. That's because, he said, Haegele's only makes them for sale on Shrove Tuesday.

You won't find them at any of the Amish section vendors at the RTM because they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (as well as Sundays, of course). And the Amish only prepare and eat them immediately before Lent.

He says the Haegele's Fastnachts aren't just a piece of fried sweet dough. After frying they are trayed and soaked in cream, so what you get is a rich, soggy donut. Yum, but it's not a bad thing they aren't available year 'round. As best as I been able to determine, the Haegele version is not a style associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch; my speculation is that the cream-soaked version comes from the area of Germany from which the Haegele family emigrated.

[Andrew Fenton]

Thanks for doing the legwork there, Bob. I guess I know where I'll be on Tuesday...

[lancastermike]

Jake Fisher, proprietor of Dutch Country Meats at the RTM, confirmed to me today that he will have Fastnachts from Haegele's next Tueday, and only next Tuesday. That's because, he said, Haegele's only makes them for sale on Shrove Tuesday.

You won't find them at any of the Amish section vendors at the RTM because they're closed on Mondays and Tuesdays (as well as Sundays, of course). And the Amish only prepare and eat them immediately before Lent.

He says the Haegele's Fastnachts aren't just a piece of fried sweet dough. After frying they are trayed and soaked in cream, so what you get is a rich, soggy donut. Yum, but it's not a bad thing they aren't available year 'round. As best as I been able to determine, the Haegele version is not a style associated with the Pennsylvania Dutch; my speculation is that the cream-soaked version comes from the area of Germany from which the Haegele family emigrated.

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They sound right tasty, Bob. But I can confirm they ain't the real deal. I forgot the Amish vendors are not at RTM on Tuesday. However, I would not be stunned to see then at vendors even after Lent begins. Obviously, the true tradition is they are a shrove Tuesday event. In Lancaster County the tradition has been bastardized to the extent that they are often for sale throughout the Lenten period.

[rlibkind]

Obviously, the true tradition is they are a shrove Tuesday event. In Lancaster County the tradition has been bastardized to the extent that they are often for sale throughout the Lenten period.

←

That sounds like what the Swedes have done with semlor, another pre-Lent treat. Given their hedonistic tendencies, the Swedes serve them from just after Christmas until the spring.

[KatieLoeb]

There was a report on the noon news on CBS3 today from Hegele's Bakery. They are pumping out a stunning number of fastnacht. They look delicious!

[lancastermike]

here is a link to the church in Columbia, Lancaster County that makes and sells a ton of them

Holy Trinity Church

And as I predicted upthread, I came to work today and just about every table had a bag of them on it. I could have had twenty of them if I wanted to.

[rlibkind]

Here's a link to the KYW video on Haegele's fastnachts. It will probably be there for only a few days, at most.

Andrew Fenton and I met for Fastnacht at the Reading Terminal Market this afternoon. Bottom line: good, rich, but it's just sweetened fried dough.

Dutch Country Meats had, as promised, laid in a supply of Fastnachts from Haegele's, a full tray of plain and a full tray of powdered sugared ones. By 1:30 p.m., they were out of the plain and neary done with the sugared; everything was gone by a couple of hours later. Unfortunately, they stored them in the refrigerator case; this had a deleterious impact on the tastebuds.

Jake Fisher, Dutch Country Meat's proprietor, had told me last weekend that he understood Haegele's soaked them in cream; apparently, that's before frying, which added to the density of the potato-enhanced fried pastry. It was certainly tasty and satisfying, especially with a good cup of coffee, and I'll be sure to get them again next year. But they are not worth any above-and-beyond efforts to acquire.

I only wish someone at the RTM would add freshly fried (in lard, but I'll settle for vegetable oil) donuts to their offerings. Nothing like a crisp, warm donut. One of the Amish vendors does them during special events, like the Pennsylvania Dutch Festival, but not year-round. Too bad.

[mrbigjas]

tonight my parents came down for dinner and brought fastnachts with them, made as always from edna ruth byler's potato dough recipe.

i always assumed this was someone my mom knew growing up in upstate PA, but tonight i found out the truth -- it turns out the recipe is from the more with less cookbook, and not only was she NOT just someone my mom knew, she's kinda famous as the founder of that organization ten thousand villages. huh.

[Andrew Fenton]

Jake Fisher, Dutch Country Meat's proprietor, had told me last weekend that he understood Haegele's soaked them in cream; apparently, that's before frying, which added to the density of the potato-enhanced fried pastry. It was certainly tasty and satisfying, especially with a good cup of coffee, and I'll be sure to get them again next year. But they are not worth any above-and-beyond efforts to acquire.

Basically, what Bob said. The fastnacht there were an odd (parallelogram) shape, and may well have been soaked in cream: after being chilled, they had a sort of butter-from-the-fridge texture. But nothing all that special, really.

It's odd to me that it has taken nine years of living in Philadelphia for me to learn about the ubiquity of pre-Lenten donuts- even my wife's law firm brought in several boxes of donuts. They were Dunkin, true, but still, who knew?

I only wish someone at the RTM would add freshly fried (in lard, but I'll settle for vegetable oil) donuts to their offerings. Nothing like a crisp, warm donut. One of the Amish vendors does them during special events, like the Pennsylvania Dutch Festival, but not year-round. Too bad.

I can't possibly agree with this more. Seems like somebody frying up fresh donuts at the RTM would make a mint. Hell, I'd probably get one every time I went.

[KatieLoeb]

I had a donut today (a rare occasion for me), and I don't even celebrate Lent.

I just thought with the ubiquitousness of fried dough/doughnuts happening throughout the city today, and being reported all over the news, I had to do my part.

I had a blueberry glazed from the Wawa with my 20 oz. cup of coffee this afternoon whilst running errands all over town. And it was good...

Edited February 6, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)