Where to get fastnachts across the Lehigh Valley
Weeks before the big day, customers were already clamoring for them, flooding the shop with calls.
Orders of dozens at a time quickly poured in.
“We set a record last year and we expect to beat that this year,” said Karen Merrill, manager at Mary Ann Donut Kitchen in Allentown.
The decades-old shop is a favorite spot for Lehigh Valley residents, looking to mark the biggest day in food in Pennsylvania: Fastnacht Day, which is Feb. 21.
Pronounced fahs-nahts, they are a Pennsylvania Dutch version of a doughnut, traditionally made with a base of mashed potatoes, flour, butter, yeast, eggs and sugar — and deep fried in lard. They started as a way for the Pennsylvania Dutch to use up the fat and sugar they had on hand before the Lenten fast began on Ash Wednesday. Translated into English, fastnacht means “fast night,” or the final night to pig out before the Lenten fast.
Every year, The Morning Call’s tradition is to share a list of places where you can get fastnachts to celebrate. Some places sell rustic, traditional square fastnachts and others sell those that are round with a hole in the center and frosted and decorated. Some places sell fastnachts made the traditional way with mashed potatoes, while others sell versions made with flour.
While there’s always some debate on what is a perfect and traditional fastnacht, we at The Morning Call take a “to each their own” approach.
Here is our list:
■ Ahart’s Markets: $6.99 per dozen, plain, glazed and powdered; customers can call or fax to place orders or stop in to buy them. Locations: Routes 115 and 940, Blakeslee, 570-646-8115; fax, 570-646-5710; 326 S. Walnut St., Bath, 610-8370900; fax, 610-837-9769
■ The Bakery Nook, 2355 Old Post Road, Coplay; $24 per dozen; $12 for half-dozen; plain, glazed, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar. 610-261-0442. Open 4 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 21.
■ The Buttered Crumb, 6937 Route 309, New Tripoli; $15 per baker’s dozen. Walk-in availability on a first come, first-served basis. 610-298-1105.
■ Easton Bakery , 34 N. Seventh St., Easton; $11.50 per dozen (minimum for order); plain, glazed, powdered, sugar, cinnamon; all orders due by Feb. 17; 610-252-6343.
■ Egypt Star Bakery: 225 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township; 608 Front St., Allentown; 45 N. Front St., Coplay; 415 Chestnut St., Emmaus; $1.25 a piece, $15 a dozen; plain, glazed, powdered sugar, jelly filled, cream filled or granulated sugar. Deadline to order is Feb. 16; then it’s first-come, first-served. egyptstarbakery.com.
■ Frecon Farms, 501 S. Reading Ave., Boyertown; $8.99 for a half-dozen or $15.99 for a dozen; pickup in Boyertown; available through Feb. 25; 610-367-6200
■ Giant: Grocery stores, select locations, orders or walk-ins, www.giantfoodstores.com for locations and phone numbers.
■ IronPigs, 1050 Ironpigs Way, Allentown. Fastnachts only: a dozen assorted fresh-made fastnachts (four plain, four powdered and four glazed): $12; Lehigh Valley IronPigs fastnacht trucker cap: $22; Lehigh Valley IronPigs Fastnacht Day New Era adjustable cap: $28; Lehigh Valley fastnachts tee: $28; package deal, a dozen fastnachts and trucker cap, $30; Fastnacht pickup will start 8 a.m. Feb. 21 at the IronPigs Clubhouse Store. Orders, info: ironpigs. milbstore.com/
■ Jacob’s Church, 8373 Kings Highway, New Tripoli (next to Leaser Lake); $11 per dozenor $6 per half-dozen; plain or brown sugar/cinnamon. Order by Feb. 17; pickup 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 18 or 9-11 a.m. Feb. 19. 610-751-5742.
■ J. DeFranco and Daughters Catering & Deli, 2173 West Bangor Road, Bangor; $12 per dozen, plain, powdered or cinnamon sugar; order by Feb. 19; info: 610-588-6991 or Portipasto@ptd.net.
■ Mary Ann Donut Kitchen, 1601 Liberty St., Allentown. Plain, powdered and sugar. $1.50 each; $8 for a half-dozen; $16 a dozen. Advance orders for three dozen or more. The bakery will be open 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 21. 610-439-9985.
■ OKaysions Katering, 615 Third Ave., Alpha, N.J. $15 a dozen; sugar, cinnamon sugar, glazed. Order by Feb. 17 for pickup 7:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Feb. 21. Walk-ins available after 3 p.m. Feb. 21. 908-213-2222.
■ Pappy’s Orchard & Bakery, 2576 Cassel Road, Coopersburg; $1.25 each, $6 for a half-dozen; $11 for a dozen; 215-679-3981, email thefarm@pappysorchard.com.
■ Redner’s Market: All area locations; orders and walk-ins. Info: www. rednersmarket.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.
■ Vallos Bakery, 1800 Broadway, Bethlehem. $13.75 per dozen; $7.25 per half-dozen; $1.30 each; powder, sugar, glazed, plain. Pickup 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 20 and 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 21. Walkins welcome. Order at 610-866-1012.
■ Wegmans: All area locations; orders or walkins. See wegmans.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.
■ Weis Markets: All area locations; orders or walkins. See weismarkets.com for hours, locations and phone numbers.