FASTNACHTS: WHERE TO GET THEM IN THE LEHIGH VALLEY
Where to get them in the Lehigh Valley
Before the dough can be made, the potato army is called in. Good Will Fire Co. in Upper Macungie calls up a legion of volunteers from the Wheels of Time Car Club to help clean and cube 900 pounds of potatoes. That potato preparation is just the first part of the marathon Good Will’s bakers will undertake to make nearly 3,500 dozen fastnachts in time for Fastnacht Day. Fastnacht Day is March 5, and community groups such as Good Will, as well as bakeries large and small, are getting ready. Few food events in the Valley are as big as Fastnacht Day, which always coincides with Shrove Tuesday, or the day before Ash Wednesday. The Pennsylvania Dutch started making fastnachts as a way to use up the fat and sugar they had on hand before the Lenten fast began. Translated into English, fastnacht means “fast night,” or the final night to pig out before Lent. In the most general sense, fastnachts are like doughnuts. The difference is that a true fastnacht is made with potato and is very simply adorned, if at all, with either granulated or powdered sugar. Some will assert a true fastnacht should be square and not have a hole, while others will allow for a round shape with a hole. Of course, some people go further and allow for frosted or filled fastnachts. No matter how you like your fastnachts, you’ll find them at lots of places in the Valley. Here are some, in honor of Fastnacht Day:
Ahart’s Markets: All four Ahart’s locations will sell three varieties of fastnachts — plain, glazed and powdered — at $4.99 per dozen. 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 ■ 1421 Allen St., Allentown, 610776-0244; fax, 610-776-0488 ■ 410 Montclair Ave., Bethlehem, 610-865-9334; fax – 610-865-3808
The Bakery Nook, 2355 Old Post Road, Coplay. $12.50 per dozen, $6.50 for half-dozen; plain, glazed, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon sugar. Orders by March 2; pickup 4 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday. 610-261-0442.
Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, 703 S. Delaware Drive, Mount Bethel, powdered or plain; $7 per dozen. Order by March 1 for pick up by 1 p.m. March 5. Chrissy at 610-588-0809.
Egypt Star Bakery: $8.40 per dozen, in plain, powdered, glazed, topped with granulated sugar, cream-filled and jelly-filled. Three locations: ■ 225 MacArthur Road, Whitehall Township. Advance orders welcome; pickup 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday. Walk-ins welcome. 610434-3762 ■ 608 Front St., Allentown. Advance orders welcome; 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 610-434-8516 ■ 45 N. Front St., Coplay. Advance orders welcome; 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday. 610-262-5115 ■ 415 Chestnut St., Emmaus. Advance orders welcome; 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 610-4216396 Egypt Star fastnachts also are available at the Allentown/Bethlehem Goose, 2501 Willow Park Road, Bethlehem Township, $8.40 per dozen in plain, powdered sugar, granulated sugar, glazed, cream or jelly. Order for pickup after 7 a.m. March 5. 610-866-0570. Giant: grocery stores, select locations, orders or walk-ins, www.giantfoodstores.com for locations and phone numbers. Friedens United Church of Christ, 1011 Church Road, Sumneytown. Pennsylvania Dutch homemade fastnachts, made with potatoes and no holes, plain, powdered, or granulated sugar; $10 a dozen or $5 a half-dozen. Advance order for pick up 3-7 p.m. March 4 or 8-10 a.m. March 5. Ronda at 215-234-4969 or the church office at 215-234-4941. Good Will Fire Co., 7723 Hamilton Blvd. Trexlertown; extras may be available until Monday; $7.50 per dozen; 610-395-9759 Hellertown Bakery, 612 Main St. $1 each or 12 for $10. Order by March 3 or pick up March 5. 610-8381025. Jacob’s Church, 8373 Kings Highway, New Tripoli (next to Leaser Lake); $8 per dozen of fastnachts or $4 per half-dozen of fastnachts; plain or brown sugar/cinnamon. Order by March 1; pick up 1-4 p.m. March 2 or 8:30-10 a.m. or 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. March 3. 610-751-5742. J. DeFranco and Daughters Catering & Deli, 2173 West Bangor Road, Bangor; $7.54 per dozen plus tax; homemade with real mashed potatoes available in plain, powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar; order by noon March 4 for pick up 7 a.m. to 7 p.m,. March 5. 610-588-6991, e-mail Portipasto@ptd.net, www.JDeFrancoandDaughters.com. Landis Supermarket will have fastnachts at its five locations. Orders accepted until noon March 4 Monday for pickup 7 a.m.-10 p.m. March 5. $6.99 per dozen; $4.49 per half dozen; $0.75 each. Locations: ■ 2685 County Line Road, Telford, 215-723-1157 ■ 543 Constitution Ave., Perkasie, 215-453-8448 ■ 841 Gravel Pike, Schwenksville, 610-2877747 ■ 2700 Shelly Road, Harleysville, 215-513-3055 ■ 2190 E. High St., Pottstown, 610-970-6801 Mary Ann Donut Shop, 1601 W. Liberty St., Allentown; plain, powdered and sugar; $10 per dozen; $9.50 for three dozen or more. 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday or Tuesday. Also available 8 a.m.-8 p.m,. Friday and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday at the Allentown Farmers Market. Pappy’s Orchard & Bakery, 2576 Cassel Road, Coopersburg; $9 per dozen; $5 per half-dozen. Advance orders and walkins welcome. 215-679-3981, e-mail thefarm@pappysorchard.com. Redner’s Market: All area locations; orders and walkins. Info: www.rednersmarket.com for hours, locations and phone numbers. Schubert’s Bakery, 49 N. Broad St., Nazareth; $8 per dozen; powdered, cinnamon sugar, sugared, glazed, plain. Order at 610-759-2932 for pickup 4-9 p.m,. March 4 and 5 a.m.-2 p.m. March 5. 610759-2932. Sweets N Savories, 560 Seip Ave., Nazareth, $9 per dozen; $4.50 per halfdozen. Order by March 1 for pickup 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m. March 5. Cathy@sweetsnsavories.com, 610-3658051. Valley Farm Market, 1880 Stefko Blvd., Bethlehem; plain, glazed, powdered or granulated sugared; advance orders or walk-ins available. Open 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday; 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday. 610-8674600. Vallos Bakery, 1800 Broadway, Bethlehem; $8.60 per dozen; $5.50 per half-dozen; 95 cents each; powder, sugar, glaze, plain; pickup 11 a.m.-7 p.m. March 4 and 5:30 a.m.-6 p.m. March 5. Walk-ins welcome. Phone orders only. 610-866-1012. Wegmans: All area locations; orders or walk-ins. See www.wegmans.com for hours, locations and phone numbers. Weis Markets: All area locations; orders or walkins. See www.weismarkets.comn for hours, locations and phone numbers. Zwingli United Church of Christ, 350 Wile Ave., Souderton. $7 per dozen; $4.50 per half-dozen. Advance orders at 215-7231186 or e-mail office@zwingli.org. Pick up 4-7 p.m. march 4 or 7-10 a.m. March 5.