A couple of years ago, we were taking Mike back to Midway Airport to catch a 6 PM flight when the skies opened up and, within minutes, streets became flooded and impassable. We slowly worked our way over to Midway, but couldn't make it in time for him to catch his flight. He went inside and checked in with customer service and found out he could catch a flight the next morning at 6AM. So, the next morning, we left home about 4 AM and headed for Midway again. I dropped him off in plenty of time and headed for home. I was feeling pretty tired and a little hungry because we hadn't eaten anything on the way to the airport (important rule - don't fly on a full stomach) so I drove through Palatine and stopped at one of our favorite guilty pleasures: Spunky Dunkers. It was about 5:30 and I was surprised to find that they were already crowded. Imagine my surprise and pleasure when I found out that it was an important day in the life of a doughnut shop - Paczki Tuesday.
If you are not familiar with these fluffy balls of goodness, paczki (pronounced "PUNCH-key," "POONCH-key" or "POANCH-key" depending on which part of Poland you are from) are a traditional pre-Lenten feast. According to The Huffington Post, making the fried, cream-filled paczki was a way observant Catholics
could empty their stock of lard, sugar, eggs and fruit — foods typically
avoided during the Lenten fast — before Ash Wednesday. Traditional paczek (the singular of paczki) fillings include rose-hip, cherry and prune,
though most bakeries include more modern fillings like custard,
chocolate, raspberry and lemon curd.
At Spunky Dunkers in Palatine, all they had for sale on the Tuesday I was there were paczki - no apple fritters or eclairs or cake doughnuts with sprinkles. And I was fine with that because they are amazingly good. This year Paczki Day is next Tuesday, February 9th. So make plans to get out and celebrate your Polish heritage next Tuesday. I'm pretty sure they are on your diet, so don't worry about that. Just enjoy.
Showing posts with label odds and ends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label odds and ends. Show all posts
Thursday, February 4, 2016
Monday, September 29, 2014
Five Shopping Days Until the End of the World
Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain called it "one of the thirteen places to eat before you die."
According to Huffington Post, "Charlie Xu, a 21-year-old University of Chicago student, traveled 15 miles on a bus with two of his friends on a Wednesday morning to try it for the first time. When they arrived around 10 a.m., thirty minutes before the place opened, they were already number 107 in line."
During this past summer, the lines stretched for a third of a mile. On one day, the restaurant was open until 10:30 PM just to serve those who were in line when the store was supposed to close at 4 PM. Finally the owner started handing a "closed" sign to the last person they would be serving that day. Everyone else was advised to go home and try another day. Last Wednesday, they were officially open for only ten minutes. They opened at 10:30, and at 10:40 they handed out the "closed" sign and told everyone behind it in line to go home. They already had more than enough people in line to last until 4 PM.
The reason for the pandemonium: Hot Doug's is officially going out of business. This Saturday, October 4, will be their last day in existence.
Ann and I ate there a few years ago with the kids. It was one of Nate's favorite places to eat. I passed on the the Chardonnay and Jalapeño rattlesnake sausage topped with roasted pepper aioli and Père Joseph cheese, shuddered over the alligator and crawfish sausages, looked a long time at the Ribeye Steak Sausage with Chimichurri and Corn Relish, then settled for an Elvis Polish Sausage - Smoked and Savory just like the King. Add on fresh-cut French fries and it is a meal fit for a ... , well, a King, I guess, just like it says.
Owner Doug Sohn says it's time to do something else with his life. He has been behind the counter manning the cash register for 14 years. The last time the store was open and he wasn't behind the register was probably five years ago, he says. So I guess it does sound like he could use a break.
So it looks like Portillo's may be our new favorite hot dog place. Their lines are nowhere near five hours long. It just won't be the same.
According to Huffington Post, "Charlie Xu, a 21-year-old University of Chicago student, traveled 15 miles on a bus with two of his friends on a Wednesday morning to try it for the first time. When they arrived around 10 a.m., thirty minutes before the place opened, they were already number 107 in line."
During this past summer, the lines stretched for a third of a mile. On one day, the restaurant was open until 10:30 PM just to serve those who were in line when the store was supposed to close at 4 PM. Finally the owner started handing a "closed" sign to the last person they would be serving that day. Everyone else was advised to go home and try another day. Last Wednesday, they were officially open for only ten minutes. They opened at 10:30, and at 10:40 they handed out the "closed" sign and told everyone behind it in line to go home. They already had more than enough people in line to last until 4 PM.
The reason for the pandemonium: Hot Doug's is officially going out of business. This Saturday, October 4, will be their last day in existence.
Owner Doug Sohn says it's time to do something else with his life. He has been behind the counter manning the cash register for 14 years. The last time the store was open and he wasn't behind the register was probably five years ago, he says. So I guess it does sound like he could use a break.
So it looks like Portillo's may be our new favorite hot dog place. Their lines are nowhere near five hours long. It just won't be the same.
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