Today is Faschnacht Day, it comes but once a year. R, my teenager, excitedly agreed to wake up at 5 a.m. to accompany me to the bakery. No, we didn't actually make it there at that time, but she did agree, excitedly. That is major for a 14 year old, it tells you what a huge deal faschnachts are at our house. They haven't always been so. In fact, 4 years ago we had no idea what a faschnacht was. And I won't even try to write how to pronounce it, the best thing is to say it's Dutch/German for "fast night". Basically, it's the pigout before a period of fasting. It is all about Pennsylvania culture, started with the Dutch/German/Amish and then the Catholics adopted it as part of the party before Lent. As for our family, we're not Amish, Catholic, nor would we call ourselves Pennsylvanians, just yet, but we happily take part in this yummy sociological treat.
This is our third Faschnacht Day. Hard to believe. We have been here for three winters. This is the only home Baby has ever known. J. has lived here longer than any of our other homes, he is quickly forgetting Colorado, it is more of an anecdote to him. And as more of my distant friends don't return my emails and phone calls or tell me about major events in their lives I realize I need to leave distant places in my past as well.
I have been very VERY reluctant to call Pennsylvania home. Oh, we live here, sure enough. But it was too far from all I knew and grew up with, from family and friends. Too much was strange and different, therefore must be wrong. Too much crime and poverty. Not enough of this and too much of that. I don't think my process of acclimating could have happened any differently than it has, I don't fault my past self. She was dealing with alot, she still is.
It takes time to sort through the piles of new information to find those things worthy of your attention and decide on those things that should be placed on the "out of my hands and so put out of my mind" pile. In this new place we live I've had to come to terms with a few things. I can't change the inner city. It makes me sad and sick, it rips at my heart and soul to drive through it. I want to mother every child, give a condom to every teenage girl and an orange to every toddler. But I can't. So I do what I can for my children, donate time and energies at church, and I don't drive through the inner city if I can help it.
This area isn't health conscious. You've heard of Philly cheesesteaks I assume? Yeah, they're made of the leftover fatty bits trimmed off the good pieces of meat and topped with processed cheese. Not my idea of a well-balanced meal. The other favorite meal in PA? Yocco's hot dogs- the "restaurants" are everywhere. That's about all they sell, hot dogs of every kind. I think every type of gross stadium food must have been invented here. Enough of fat talk, suffice it to say there was a bit of whiplash after the healthy fare of Colorado. But I've come to terms with this, if I want healthy food I've got to make it myself or go to the few healthy places I've found to eat at and keep searching for more.
Then there is the East coast attitude. People tell me that you get the worst of both worlds here. See, this is Pennsylvania Dutch territory, they are known for being hard workers but they are also very stern and keep to themselves = not friendly or outgoing. Add to this a liberal sprinkling of New Yorkers and you wonder if "Solient Green is people!" or what the heck is going on! Don't get me started on the driving, but I've gotten used to it now, I'm sorry to say. Who knows how horrid I may act when I visit Utah this summer, I apologize now for my East coast attitude.
After I've said all that- this morning as I stood in line at a bakery over a hundred years old, run by a family who has probably baked there with the rising sun for just as many years, everyone stood in line with smiles making small talk:
"Whoo, it's cold out there isn't it?"
"Is this your daughter's first Faschnacht?"
"The cinnamons are still warm, eat them soon!"
"Working here all day, will you be able to eat any?"
They will sell faschnachts from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. today. Nothing but faschnachts. In this economy where the news tells me this world is falling apart the bakery told me another story, warm and sweet. Spring is on it's way in Pennsylvania Dutch country and maybe there is one more family counting themselves at home there.
Sounds yummy! Cute pics!!
Steph
Posted by: Stephanie Kunzler | February 24, 2009 at 11:41 AM
Congrats on getting your paper in. I struggled with the same thing in Vegas, but I can't be any sort of help because we moved with a sigh of relief after 4 yrs. Though we did love the people, if we could have transported our ward and friends and house we would have.
I love holidays, religious or secular, that involve yummy treats.
Posted by: readerMom | February 24, 2009 at 04:56 PM
"Spring is on it's way in Pennsylvania Dutch country and maybe there is one more family counting themselves at home there." love this!
Posted by: Michelle L. | February 24, 2009 at 06:23 PM
"Bloom where you are planted, Jen!!"
Yummy tradition that I had never heard of..I am part German (ZABEL) so I may have to take up this celebration. Yeah, right, like I need a reason to pig out :-D
Posted by: Caren Nelson | February 25, 2009 at 08:26 PM