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Mardi Gras celebrated Polish-style at Kravitz Delicatessen
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Deborah Congonello shows off paczkis, which are Polish pastries similar to doughnuts, at Kravitz Deli in the Poland library. The sweet treats, made by Kiedrowski’s Bakery in Amherst, were a popular choice for patrons at the deli, which also offered pirogies, halushki, kielbasa and more.
POLAND
The sound of polka music and the smell of pirogies filled Kravitz Delicatessen on Tuesday afternoon as patrons stopped by for Polish specialties to mark Fat Tuesday.
“It’s been crazy. Everyone wants paczkis,” said Tracy Thompson, manager at the Poland library branch of the deli.
Paczkis — Polish pastries similar to doughnuts — were among many other Fat Tuesday offerings on Kravitz’s menu at both the Poland location and the deli on Belmont Avenue in Liberty.
Stuffed cabbage, kielbasa, kraut, potato pancakes, halushki, bagels and eggs also were served, and Polish Youngstown organized various Polish-themed festivities throughout the day.
The Paczki Polka All-Stars, featuring John Nalevanko, Rich Zebrowski and Rich Kois, played music, and two workshops — one about folk and polka dancing, another about genealogy — were offered.
Two people spotted on the dance floor Tuesday were Aundrea Cika and Marianne Poprik, leaders of Polish Youngstown.
The group organized the Fat Tuesday celebration, they said, because of the importance of the day in Polish-Catholic culture.
“Fat Tuesday is huge because it’s your last chance to be social with people [before Lent],” Cika said.
The “Paczki, Polkas and Piwo,” or “Donuts, Dancing and Drafts,” event also was a chance to attract interest in Polish culture. Pirogies can be good bait, after all.
“We’re cultural evangelists. It’s a chance to share a little bit of our culture,” Cika said. “We’re just trying to be enthusiastic. ... For years, it wasn’t cool to be Polish.”
The menu seemed to be the draw for many people who stopped by the restaurant for lunch Tuesday.
“We came in this morning, and now we’re back for lunch,” said Patrick and Sandy Gatta of Poland.
The most important part of the Polish Youngstown festivities, however, isn’t appreciation of Polish culture, Cika and Poprik said — it’s about celebrating immigrants of all nationalities represented in the Mahoning Valley.
“We don’t care what your nationality is. Get it to your children, get it to your grandchildren,” Poprik said.
“There’s all kinds of things immigrants brought to the Valley,” Cika said. “Unless you teach [the next generation] these things, they won’t understand.”