If you see desperate hordes of sugar-crazed zealots steaming up the windows of the Busy Bee Bakery at 5:58 a.m. on March 8, straining to control themselves as they desperately await the store’s opening, do not be alarmed. It’s just Paczki Day.

Paczki Day is another name for Mardis Gras, or Carnivale, or Shrove Tuesday. All mark the last day before Lent starts on Ash Wednesday, a time when Christians traditionally sacrifice and repent and abstain from decadent foodstuffs.

Originally, making paczkis was a practical (and delicious) way for Eastern Europeans to use up the butter and eggs that were prohibited during Lent in years past. (The pancakes eaten on Shrove Tuesday in the British Isles served the same purpose.)

Whatever their origin, paczki (which means “little package” in Polish) have become a yearly obsession for many people. These deep-fried, egg-rich dough balls, whose fillings have expanded far beyond the traditional six or so found in the Old World, enjoy a rabid and devoted  following. The Busy Bee, 5126 Main St., is ground zero for paczki enthusiasts from all over the western suburbs and beyond. How did this mania start?

“I think a lot of it started with people working in offices,” said Katie Kalousek, who owns Busy Bee with her husband Chuck. Noting that Paczki Day occurs each year when the Chicago weather tends to be very gloomy, she said, “People are looking for some relief, a little fun, something to look forward to. [Paczkis] are like a little mini-party to help break up the day.”

The Kalouseks use the same dough recipe and technique used by the Ingrams, from whom they purchased the bakery 12 years ago and for whom Chuck worked as an apprentice many years ago.

They’ve expanded the filling menu to 24 flavors, keeping the traditional ones and adding others that reflect modern trends, as well. Kalousek believes all those filling choices add to the fun of paczki.  “People get a hold of that order form and they’re like a kid in a candy store trying to decide which kinds to get,” she said.

Paczki popularity has led to copycats lining the shelves of other retailers, not all of which are worthy of bearing the proud paczki label. Kalousek politely declined to comment on anyone else’s paczkis, but did mention a couple of things to consider.  

'Are they freshly made, or full of preservatives and delivered from a central distribution warehouse somewhere?" she asked. "What are the fillings made of?”

While paczkis are a huge seller for the Busy Bee—"We stop counting after 10,000"—they aren’t the only pre-Lenten treat flying out the door.  The bakery also offers king cakes, a Mardi Gras tradition that resembles a coffee cake with almond filling.

King cakes feature the colors of Mardi Gras, which are also rooted in the Christian faith: gold for God’s power, green for faith and purple for justice. Baked inside is a little plastic baby. If you get the baby in your piece, it’s your job to bring the cake next time.

Whether you’re getting paczki or a king cake, pre-ordering is highly recommended. The last day to place paczki orders is Friday, March 4.  Call Busy Bee at 630-968-8830 for details. 

Here is a recipe for bread pudding, another New Orleans/Mardi Gras favorite which, coincidentally, helps you use up butter and eggs as well:

Bread Pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf Busy Bee buttercrust bread (a little stale is fine)
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup pecans (optional)
• 1/4 cup raisins (optional)
• Bourbon Sauce, recipe follows

Tear bread into medium pieces. Add sugar and cinnamon. Mix milk, lightly beaten eggs, and vanilla. Add to bread mixture. Place 1/2 mix in casserole. Layer pecans and raisins, if used. Top with the rest of the mix. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until lightly brown. Serve warm with Bourbon sauce (below).

Bourbon Sauce

Combine in a sauce pan:

• 1 cup granulated sugar 
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted 
• 1/2 cup buttermilk 
• 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Bourbon 
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
• 1 tablespoon white corn syrup 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Bring to a boil for 1 minute. Serve warm.