This past week was Shrove Tuesday, referred to by some as Pancake Day and also known – at least in my part of the country – as Pączki Day. I’d never even heard of pączki before we moved to Windsor, but as it turns out this yummy Polish pastry is HUGE here! Every year around this time I see notices about the various bakeries that are offering the sweet treat on Shrove Tuesday, but I’ve never got around to trying them for myself – this is, until this year, when Peter ventured out to the European Market, waited in a long line, and bought a whole box of them.
Happy Pączki Day!
And oh, they were good! Similar in makeup to a jelly doughnut, but far more rich and substantial, we ended up with a selection filled with various delectable flavours – raspberry, strawberry, plum, rosehip, lemon, and custard – and either glazed or sprinkled liberally with powdered sugar.
Divine!
The only problem was that there were a dozen of them, and only two of us. Peter tends not to have a very sweet tooth, and though I’m always able to devour goodies like nobody’s business, even I couldn’t have mowed through quite this many of them in a short time.
Fast forward to yesterday, with the few remaining and once-delicious pączki getting rather dry and stale. They were past their prime, but still oh-so-tempting – so I had the bright idea to zap one in the microwave to freshen it up a little so I could enjoy it. “Great idea,” said Peter, “but remember, it’s going to be HOT. Let it cool down before you try to eat it.” “Yeah, yeah,” I muttered, rolling my eyes a little at this obvious bit of advice as I set the timer for a mere 20 seconds – just enough to take the edge off the dryness – then settled down on the couch ready to enjoy the last pączki of the year.
I promise I was being careful – I really was! I was nibbling gently around the edges, going ever so slowly so that the centre would have time to cool off, when suddenly a huge dollop of what felt like lava-hot plum filling squirted out of the hole, ran down my chin, and landed with a searing plop on my chest.
It probably took only a few seconds for me to frantically grab my cloth napkin and wipe off the hot mess, smearing gooey dark redness everywhere (and most likely looking fairly ridiculous) in the process, but it felt like forever.
And I was left, whimpering a little, with this.
Happy Pączki Day!
Not one of my prouder moments, I must say. I mean, I am admittedly rather clumsy… but apart from the occasional roof-of-the-mouth pizza burn I’m not sure I’ve ever managed to injure myself with food! This was a first for sure.
I’ll probably try some pączki again next year – come on, they’re wonderful! – but next time I think we’ll share our dozen with friends while they (the pączki, that is) are still fresh.
I’ve learned my lesson!
Have you ever accidentally hurt yourself with food?
Please share!
Twitter: writercat
February 21, 2015
OUCH! That must have really hurt! Oh yeh, I’ve burned my mouth and tongue on many occasions. Can’t say I’ve burnt my chest though. You’ve topped me there. Get it, topped me? GROAAAAANNNN!
Cat Graham recently posted… #1000Speak for Compassion – An Acrostic Poem
Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
LOL, groan indeed!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
I usually allow whatever I cook to stand for at least five minutes before I take it out of the microwave, and sometimes still get burned anyway.
Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
I definitely should have done that as well!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Twitter: shilpaagarg
February 22, 2015
Oh! Hope it has stopped hurting by now. I burn my palette and tongue pretty often. Coffee /tea are the usual culprit. I am really cautious of the cheesy bakes dishes. Somehow, they seem ok on the outside and a nice bite later, you are jumping up and down.
Shilpa Garg recently posted… She Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
It looks pretty nasty, but it doesn’t really hurt anymore. Thankfully!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Twitter: nabanita21
February 22, 2015
Hope you are better now..I hurt myself with food all the time!
I overeat when it’s something I like and then end up falling sick! But I never learn!
nabanita recently posted… Why No One Talks About Compassion Anymore?
Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
Oh, good point – I’ve done that myself on occasion!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Twitter: ellytreehugger
February 22, 2015
Yes, I have burnt my tongue/mouth quite often, sometimes (usually?) with pizza! 😉 I think I have tried something like that though they weren’t donut-shaped. By the way Laurel, if you look very carefully, you will see a rough outline of a heart shape on your chest. 🙂 <3
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
I guess we need to slow down a bit and let things cool off!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Twitter: 1951
February 22, 2015
They say donuts can kill us, and it looks like they’re right!
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
LOL, indeed!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Oh, yes, I’ve hurt myself with food, and in a much dumber way. It was years ago, at my mom’s house. She had made one of her delicious meat pies for dinner the night my husband and I were there. We were in the kitchen when she took it out of the oven, and somehow–I don’t remember exactly how–it slipped out of her grasp. Since reflexes are quicker than the brain, I reached out to try to grab it before it hit the floor. Not only did it quickly burn my whole hand, but it landed on the floor anyway since I couldn’t hold onto it. I had to have my hand bandaged for several days after that!
Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 23, 2015
Oh, dear, Elaine… that must have been dreadfully painful! Reflexes are not always a good thing, I guess!
Laurel Regan recently posted… #MicroblogMondays 26 – Happy Two Years!
Twitter: vinithadileep
February 25, 2015
Ouch!! That hurts! I have hurt myself with food many times! 🙂
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Twitter: alphabetsalad
February 25, 2015
It’s getting better, but it looks rather awful!
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