A Pure Michigan Tradition: Pączki Day Vodka Is Back

Every year right before Lent begins, something magical happens here in Michigan. Sure, the pączki start flying off the shelves at Donna’s Donuts, Crust, and A & K’s Dawn Donuts. But just down the road, a still fires up, and one of our favorite traditions officially returns.

What Is Pączki Day Vodka

Pączki Day Vodka is back on February 3, just in time for Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday. It’s an annual labor of love led by Michigan resident and distiller Steve Orzechowski of Detroit City Distillery. He proudly leans into his Polish roots to create something truly special.

READ MORE: Strange And Bizarre Lent Loopholes

This isn’t just flavored vodka. Real raspberry pączki are distilled into 100 percent Michigan and Polish potato vodka, creating a spirit that tastes like tradition in a glass.

Why Hamtramck Is the Heart of Metro Detroit's Pączki Season

And when we say real pączki, we mean the real deal. The pączki used in the process come straight from New Palace Bakery in Hamtramck, often referred to as Pączki Headquarters for good reason. Family-owned since 1908, New Palace has been a staple in the Detroit area for generations, serving up Polish and European-style baked goods that people line up for every year.

Fat Tuesday, Lent, and Michigan’s Creative Food Traditions

Fat Tuesday has always been about indulging before the season of sacrifice begins, and that idea runs deep, especially in places like Michigan. Lent is traditionally a time of restraint, and for centuries Catholics were expected to give up red meat on Fridays, turning instead to fish.

READ MORE: Why Michiganders Eat This Bizarre Animal Instead of Fish During Lent

But in a place with brutal winters and frozen waterways, Michiganders got creative. History tells us that muskrat, beaver, and other unlikely “fish” made their way onto Lenten menus thanks to special dispensations and clever loopholes.

With rules like that, it’s no wonder people decided to load up on the good stuff before Lent arrived. Rich, filled pączki. One last indulgence. And now, a bottle of Pączki Day Vodka to toast a tradition that blends faith, culture, history, and a very Michigan sense of humor.

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Because if there’s one thing we do well here, it’s honoring tradition, and finding delicious ways to bend the rules just a little. Check out the story behind it in the video below.