Paunchy Tuesday

The pączki wave has been spreading in Chicago for a while now--last year, even Ann Sather got in on the game--so I figured it was only a matter of time before someone would begin bringing them to this office like someone brought them in to the last place I worked. Alas, not to be. I'd step into the breach myself if only there were some Polish bakeries within spitting distance, but I live in 北華阜, not Jackowo, so no pączki for me.

I finally got around to looking up the word last night. All this time--influenced by the Russian пасха--I've been foolishly assuming it had something to do with the word for "Easter". But the Polish for "Easter" is Wielkanoc "Great Night", not anything to do with Hebrew פסח. And pączek is a diminutive of pąk "bud". Such a darling name, I tried to think of any other delicacies which bore it, but I came up dry: AFAICT, there are no Knöspchen in the Konditoreien, the pasticcerie do not carry boccioli, and no place on my walk to the El is selling 小蓓蕾. I scent opportunity, y'all!