Over 500 fastnachts donated to Hope Rescue
The Hamburg Community Group from Fleetwood Bible Church chose to carry on the tradition of one family’s late grandmother as a treat to the men at the Hope Rescue Mission in Reading.
Rich Bracy, community group leader, used his late grandmother’s recipe as his guide. According to Bracy, the project originally started four years ago as a way to remember and honor his late grandmother.
Bracy’s grandmother was a very godly woman who never wanted to draw attention to herself, but this project has nothing to do with drawing attention to oneself. It is about sharing the love of Jesus Christ with our fellow man. For that, the group was confident that his grandmother would be thrilled to see her recipe used to support those in need.
Making the dough is slow and labor intensive, but overall, it’s not too bad. The dough is mixed and pounded the night before Shrove Tuesday. It is left to rise overnight. The dough is then beat down the next morning for another round of rising. From there it is transported to the Mission for cutting and one final round of rising before being fried into a delicious treat.
About a dozen people from the group participated in this event. It’s a tradition that Bracy enjoys sharing with the group as well as his children Allison and Benjamin.
“You know that you are doing a good thing when men come up and thank you for taking the time to spend the day with them at the Mission,” says Kathi Bracy, Rich’s wife. “I don’t know who gets the bigger blessing, the men for getting a homemade treat or the group who gets to interact with the men and see how well received the gift is.”
Fasnachts are a German tradition. Back in the day, people would use up materials such as flour, lard and eggs that were in their homes before the Lent season would start.
The original doughy treats were usually served with turkey syrup, a type of molasses. Today, other toppings have been used. Bracy’s daugther, Allison, is quick to announce that she likes honey on hers.