Happy Fastnacht Day!

Screw Mardi Gras and Carnaval, man. Today is all about the fastnachts! These doughnuts are a traditional treat from Germany and the Pennsylvania Dutch Country and are served on Fat Tuesday. They traditionally served a practical function: emptying the pantry of fat and butter before Lent, when those things were forbidden. Pennsylvania Dutch fastnachts are made from fried potato dough and are often coated with sugar. Where I’m from in the PA Dutch Country, many Catholic Churches have fastnacht sales as a fundraiser.

Because they’re often made with lard, they can sit like a chunk of concrete in your stomach. That’s why I only ever tried a fastnacht once and never went back for more—my wussy stomach just couldn’t handle it. Nowadays I couldn’t eat most types of fastnachts anyway, because I’m a vegetarian and can’t eat lard. So why do I like Fastnacht Day? Because it’s part of my heritage, mostly, but also because I can’t help but love a day devoted to doughnuts. And gluttony.

My friend Debbie, another PA Dutch native, made fastnachts for her coworkers in DC, and graciously shared the yummy-looking photos with me.

An article from today’s edition of my hometown newspaper, where fastnachts get front-page coverage:

They’re firing up the fryers for annual rite at St. Cecilia
By DAVID MEKEEL
Staff Writer
Lebanon Daily News

Nearly seven tons of flour, almost three tons of sugar, 720 pounds of margarine, 1,000 gallons of milk and more than 1,000 eggs.

Sounds like someone’s going to be busy in the kitchen.

It’s that time of year again when the workers at St. Cecilia Church, 202 E. Lehman St., strap on their aprons for what can only be described as all-out fasnacht frenzy.

For as long as almost anyone can remember, members of St. Cecilia have been holding an annual fried-doughnut fund-raiser for Fasnacht Day, the traditional day of feasting — some might say gluttony — before the start of Lenten-season fasting. The big day is tomorrow, and they’re at it once again at St. Cecilia, frying up more than 80,000 of the traditional German treats.

“Our shifts start Saturday night and run around the clock until we run out of ingredients Tuesday afternoon,” explained Anna Ilgenfritz, one of the organizers of the fund-raiser, as the ingredients arrived at the church’s social hall last week. “It’s quite an operation.”

About 100 volunteers will work shifts preparing the fasnachts, using two commercial mixers, five deep fryers and about 7,000 boxes to pack them for sale by the dozen.

They can sell as many as they can make.

“We had over 3,000 dozen pre-ordered,” Ilgenfritz said. “And if you didn’t pre-order, you have to come wait in line. It gets pretty busy in here, too. Sometimes they stand there for a couple of hours.”

So what’s the big deal about the St. Cecilia fasnacht?

“This is not your typical supermarket doughnut,” Ilgenfritz explained. “I would say it’s very unique. People just love them.”

They must. Those who pre-ordered had to order at least six dozen, Ilgenfritz said. St. Cecilia’s biggest single order was for 140 dozen.

“Some businesses get them for their employees, or people freeze them or send them to family members,” she said.

Along with the wonderful taste — Ilgenfritz likes hers still warm from the fryer with a cup of coffee — there is another aspect of the fasnacht sale that those involved say they cherish.

“This all started with German immigrant women probably more than 75 years ago,” she said of the fund-raiser. “I’m proud to be a part of it. To think, it was started on such a small scale with a handful of immigrant women, and it has grown to this scale. It’s a beautiful tradition.”

Ilgenfritz also said she loves getting a chance to meet and work with her fellow parishioners.

Joe Carrara, who was in charge of placing the orders for all of the ingredients this year, seemed to share Ilgenfritz’s sentiments.

“The first time I came here I was impressed,” he said of his first experience with the fund-raiser in the mid 1970s. “I came from working in a factory, and that’s the type thing they were doing here. They were so well-organized.”

Both Ilgenfritz and Carrara have been involved in organizing the event for the past four or five years, but they look at its future a bit differently.

“I tell Anna if we can make it 10 more years we’ll be OK,” Carrara said.

“Oh no! I’m already looking for a replacement,” Ilgenfritz said, rolling her eyes.

While she loves being involved in the sale, Ilgenfritz said, it takes its toll.

“I get excited. The night before I usually can’t sleep too well,” she said. “And afterwards, the cleanup, that’s another ordeal. There’s sugar on the floor. There’s flour all over the kitchen. It’s a mess.”

But, in the end, it’s all worth it, she said. Last year, the fund-raiser garnered about $24,000 for the church.

For those who did not pre-order their fastnachts, they will be on sale at the church’s social hall from 7 a.m. until they run out tomorrow. Each dozen costs $5.50.

song heard most recently before posting:
Now’s the Time—Charlie Parker