Fastnachts for Fat Tuesday: A Pennsylvania Dutch tradition
Fastnachts Day held on the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Christian season of Lent.
Fastnachts are a specific type of donut, made with a two-part dough. They’re finished off with powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar.
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Many people are celebrating Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras.
It’s held on the day before Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Christian season of Lent.
The Action Cam was at Haegele’s Bakery in Tacony, where the Fastnachts are now on sale!
Doors opened at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, and longtime customers were ready to go that very minute.
The German bakery sells the special treats just twice a year, with Fat Tuesday being one of them.
Fastnachts are a specific type of donut and are known as a Pennsylvania Dutch tradition. They are similar to beignets and doughnuts, but are often larger and without a hole in the middle. The treat is often made with potatoes, yeast, or baking powder and is finished off with powdered sugar, or cinnamon sugar.
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Tuesday is Fasnacht Day.
What is a fasnacht, what’s the history behind the celebration and where can you get them? Read on to learn!
Fastnachts are pastries that are similar to doughnuts but more dense.
Fasnacht Day is an annual Pennsylvania Dutch celebration that falls on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.
Fasnachts are made to use up the lard, sugar, butter and eggs before the start of Lent. These rich ingredients were seen as lavish and weren’t supposed to be eaten during the Lenten season.
Fasnacht Day falls on March 4 this year.
Here are some places that will be selling fasnachts in the Susquehanna Valley:
The Pennsylvania Inspector General filed felony charges against a person accused of stealing thousands in SNAP benefits from more than a dozen Pennsylvanians.
Video above: Headlines from WGAL News 8.
The individual stole more than $8,200 in benefits from 17 people in Cumberland and Dauphin counties, a statement from the inspector general said.
“Stealing SNAP benefits is preying upon those in need,” State Inspector General Michelle A. Henry said in a statement. “We are committed to working hard every day to protect our most vulnerable residents from those who steal their SNAP funds.”
The defendant faces 35 felony and misdemeanor counts of access device fraud, theft by deception and identity theft.
“The alleged theft occurred in February of 2023 … It is alleged that despite the victims never losing possession of their EBT cards, the Defendant used their card information to make purchases. The Defendant’s purchases included bulk quantities of Red Bull Energy Drink, candy, and baby formula. These items are popular for resale in domestic and international markets,” a statement from the OSIG said.
Pennsylvanians who think their SNAP benefits have been stolen should contact their County Assistance Office for a replacement EBT card, report the crime to OSIG at 1-800-932-0582, and notify local police.
They can monitor benefits and update their PIN through the free myCOMPASS PA app, available on Apple and Google Play.
The OSIG and DHS recommend changing PINs monthly before each SNAP payment and inspecting card readers before use. For details, visit the OSIG Skimming or DHS Scams pages.
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WGAL NEWS 8 LOCAL PENNSYLVANIA
Here’s where to get your Fat Tuesday fastnacht fix in central Pa.
Rachelle Schenk-Womer prepares fastnachts a the Pennsylvania Bakery in Camp Hill in 2023. File photo by Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com
As Fat Tuesday approaches, bakeries throughout central Pennsylvania are ramping up fastnacht production.
The regional treats are a popular indulgence on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday known as a time of fasting and reflection for Lent.
In other parts of the country, the day is known as Mardis Gras or Pancake Day.
The tradition of eating fastnachts started with the Pennsylvania Dutch, who were looking for recipes to use up fat, such as lard, in the house before Lent. Fastnacht is a German word meaning “night before the fast.”
Recipes for fastnachts vary. Some call call for yeast, others baking soda. Some recipes use special ingredients such as mashed potatoes or potato flour.
To ensure you don’t miss out on the doughnut tradition, here’s a list of places in and around the Harrisburg region selling them in the coming days:
Beeman’s Baked Goods, 51 S. Orange St., Carlisle
The family-owned bakery is selling unfilled and buttercream filled fastnachts in plain, powdered sugar, glazed and cinnamon sugar. Price is $7.50 a 1/2 dozen and $15 a dozen for unfilled and $8.75 for 1/2 dozen and $17.50 a dozen for filled.
Preorders are strongly suggested by calling 717-218-5258 by 2 p.m. March 1. Hours on March 4 are 7 a.m.-4 p.m.
Brown’s Orchard & Farmers Market, 8892 Susquehanna Trail South, Loganville, York County
The market is selling fastnachts in glazed, plain and powdered sugar on March 3-4. Price is $14.49 a dozen, $8.99 a half dozen and $1.59 for a single. Preorder by calling 717-428-2036 ext. 227. The market is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Dough n Joe, 33 E. Simpson St. Unit D, Mechanicsburg, 717-431-4297
The new doughnut shop in Mechanicsburg is selling five fastnacht varieties including powdered sugar, plain, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar and glazed. Dough n Joe uses nutmeg and potato flakes in their recipe. Prices start at $1.90 for a single doughnut up to $20 for a dozen.
Flinchbaugh’s Orchard & Farm Market, 110 Ducktown Road, Hellam
The market is accepting fastnacht orders through March 9. It’s selling plain, glazed, powder sugar and granulated sugar priced at $6.99 for a 1/2 dozen.
Order online or by calling 717-252-2540.
Giant, multiple locations
Giant stores are selling plain, powdered, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar and glazed for $1 a piece, $5 a half dozen and $10 per dozen.
Karns Foods, multiple locations
Karns is selling fastnachts in plain, glazed, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and granulated sugar made with potato flour. Price is $5.99 or a six-pack. Pre-orders are being accepted and can be picked up starting after 7 a.m. March 1.
Maple Donuts, multiple locations
Maple Donuts is selling fastnachts at its four bakeries in York County. If you want three dozen or more, you must pre-order them.
The bakeries are selling powdered, granulated sugar, plain and glazed for $1.59 a piece, $8.99 a half dozen and $14.49 a dozen. They also carry paczki, a type of Polish doughnuts with different fillings including cream, custard, apple, lemon and jelly for the same price. The doughnuts will be available March 1-4.
Mt. Airy Orchards, 522 E. Airy Road, Dillsburg, 717-432-2544
The former Paulus Orchards is baking plain, granulated sugar, powdered sugar and glazed fastnachts. Prices are $5.99 for four or $7.99 for a half dozen.
Oak Grove Farms, 846 Fisher Road, Monroe Township, 717-766-2216
The farm market outside of Mechanicsburg is selling fastnachts. The market is selling plain, glazed, granulated sugar and powdered sugar for $1.50 per doughnut, $7.99 a half dozen and $13.99 a dozen. Cream-filled are $10.99 for a half dozen or $1.99 a piece. The market opens 6 a.m.
Order in person or by calling 717-766-2216.
The Pennsylvania Bakery, 1713 Market St., Camp Hill, 717-763-7755
The bakery is selling fastnachts for $18.95 a dozen in plain, powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, granulated sugar and glazed. Also, pick up fastnacht cupcakes made with buttermilk, cinnamon, and brown sugar cake, topped with a cinnamon sugar buttercream, rolled in sugar and topped with a piece of made-from-scratch fastnacht. They sell for $3.50 apiece. The bakery also carries Mardis Gras cakes for $21.50.
St. Cecilia’s Catholic Church, 120 E. Lehman St., Lebanon
This year marks the 100th anniversary for St. Cecilia’s fastnacht sale. It runs for two days only starting Feb. 28. Price is $14 per dozen in plain and sugared, with a limit of six dozen. No preorders accepted. Sales start at 11 p.m. Feb. 28 and run until they are sold out on March 2.
Weis Markets, multiple locations
Weis is selling glazed, plain, powdered and granulated sugar fastnachts. Price is $7.99 for a dozen or $4.50 for a half-dozen.
Wegmans, 6416 Carlisle Pike, Silver Spring Township, 717-791-4500
The grocery store is selling powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar and glazed in four-packs for $5.50 and by the dozen for $14. It is also selling paczki in 4-packs for $6.50, including custard-filled with powdered sugar, apple-filled with cinnamon sugar, raspberry-filled with glaze and lemon-filled with granular sugar.
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