“Festive atmosphere:" National Bakery and Deli goes all out on Paczki Day

MILWAUKEE -- In the wee hours of the morning, on Fat Tuesday, February 28th, they were already in line – the dedicated souls that waited all year to get their hands on a paczki.

“It’s tradition to be here. I’ve been doing it for probably close to 30 years," said Kenny Lovas, who was first through the door.

A Polish staple of Fat Tuesday, the idea behind the paczki was to use the last of the lard, eggs and sugar in one big bash before Lent.

Paczki Day at National Bakery & Deli

“It’s just a festive atmosphere. Everybody is always in a good mood when they come here. Even though they’re waiting, sometimes, in long lines," said Jeff Callen, co-owner of National Bakery & Deli.

National Bakery's main location is on 16th and Morgan, on Milwaukee's south side. They expected to sell about 36,000 of the glazed, powdered and jelly-filled treats.

Paczki Day at National Bakery & Deli

“We use every little space, every employee, every piece of equipment from top to bottom. It’s amazing," said Bryant Krauss, co-owner of National Bakery & Deli.

Paczki Day is, in effect, National Bakery's Super Bowl. The baking crew got to work before noon on Monday.

“These fryers haven’t been empty at all. One right behind the other and right behind the other," said Gonzalo Rivere.

Paczki Day at National Bakery & Deli

They worked straight through the night until the final ball of dough left the fryer.

“Go to bed," said Rivere, when asked what he would do at the end of his shift. "That’s the only thing I want to do.”

Paczki Day at National Bakery & Deli

Their hard work resulted in plenty of happy customers, including regulars like Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

“There are no calories today. It’s amazing. You can have as many as you want," said Barrett.

That was certainly Dan Rank’s approach. He filled the back of his car with 60 dozen donuts to distribute to coworkers and clients.

Dan Rank

“We are pretty popular on Fat Tuesday. No question," said Rank.

Paczki Day at National Bakery & Deli