The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
TORRINGTON MAN WINS PRIZE
Torrington man wins paczki-eating honor
ANSONIA >> A dozen contestants stuffed their faces with plump, fruit-filled pastries during Eddy’s Bake Shop’s 19th annual paczki-eating contest in celebration of Fat Tuesday.
But only one emerged the victor to claim the crown. The champ, Nick Wehry, a personal trainer/bodybuilder from Torrington scoffed down nine of the overstuffed packzis (pronounced poonch-keys) in five minutes.
The event kicked off at 8 a.m. in the popular downtown bakery, where Eddy’s owner Paul Ciocca started the tradition nearly two decades ago after reading how Polish-Americans celebrate the day before Lent begins.
Paczkis are Polish, jelly doughnut-like confections traditionally eaten on Mardi Gras, also known as Fat Tuesday, and refers to the custom of eating rich, fatty foods before Lent, which begins the day after on Ash Wednesday.
The pastries can weigh up to a half-pound, especially when packed with fillings including lemon, black raspberry, strawberry, prune or custard, according to Eddy’s employee Gabriella Ciocca.
Tradition calls for people to get rid of all their extra flour, sugar, starch, eggs and other ingredients, roll them all into the pastries, overindulge and stop in time to fast for Lent.
“They eat it all up and then after that, that’s it for Lent,” she said.
And eat is exactly what the 12 contestants did immediately after Mayor David Cassetti started the five-minute countdown.
Most of the contestants took swigs of water between big bites of the packzis to help wash them down. And as the final minute on Cassetti’s clock waned, it was Wehry who claimed the crown by downing nine paczkis, and clinching the title, and $150 cash prize, as the Valley’s paczki-eating champion.
Wehry simply said he’s a fan of eating, which is what drew him to the event again. He also said Eddy’s make some of the tastiest paczkis around, and planned to sit down and actually “savor the flavor” of one of them without being under the competitive time crunch.
Wehry took second place in last year’s contest, which was won by Brandon Carr of Seymour, who claimed the crown by eating 12 paczkis, but did not return this year to defend his title.
Many of Eddy’s employees
began work around 3 a.m. Tuesday, making and stuffing some 100 dozen of the plump pastries, according to Gabriella Ciocca.
Those who’d like to indulge in some of the tasty treats should hurry in to Eddy’s, located at 317 Main St., before they’re gone.
Cassetti sampled a lemon paczki this year, and was happy to serve as timekeeper rather than deal with indigestion.
“I love to see the community engaged, and I love events that embrace ethnicity,” said Cassetti. “This is a Polish tradition during Lent and an Eddy’s tradition for almost two decades.”
Cassetti offered some advice for those brave enough to take a seat around Eddy’s paczki-eating table next year.
“Keep your eye on the prize. … Also, practice makes perfect so visit Eddy’s on a regular basis!” Cassetti said. “I know they only make paczkis once a year, but they can practice with some of the other doughnuts and pastries they make year-round.”