Get In On Authentic Hamtramck Paczki At Market 22 On Fat Tuesday
One of the first family-owned pizza shops to bring Detroit-style pizza to the county brings another Detroit — and Polish — tradition to the region on March 1. Those in the know can pre-order paczki by Feb. 20 and Market 22 owners Neal and Melanie Kokowicz will bring them north on their annual “Paczki Run.”
Neal Kokowicz says authentic Polish paczki are “definitely a family tradition within both of our families, and they now in our 9th year of making this paczki run [to Hamtramck’s New Palace Bakery] it has become a community tradition too. Year round we receive phone calls double checking that we will still be making the packzi run and every year we keep the tradition alive.”
The actual act of eating a plump, cream-or-fruit filled paczki on Shrove or Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, is also a pre-Lent religious tradition observed by Polish Catholics.
Kokowicz — who was born and raised in Leelanau County — and wife Melanie — who was born in Detroit and moved to the region as a child — say paczki are synonymous with tradition and family. Says Kokowicz, “As a family we have been going to the New Palace Bakery since I was a kid. As they’ve seen our family grow, so have we seen theirs. The small generationally run family business that they’ve been able to successfully run since 1908 have made them a staple in the greater Detroit area for years.”
The Kokowiczes similarly have made Market 22 a Leelanau County staple for award-winning Detroit-style pizza. “When we first opened up in November of 2013 we were one of the few small pizza shops making Detroit-style pizza north of Grand Rapids and the only ones in the tri-county area.” Since then, the popularity of the style has grown tremendously throughout the U.S. and overseas.
He notes that New Palace Bakery paczki are handmade from scratch, made fresh “and absolutely smell delicious, regardless if it’s 1 or 1000.” For this years’ paczki run the traditional flavors available include prune, custard, lemon, raspberry, and apple. Premium flavors are buttercream and coffee buttercream.
Kokowicz notes there is no minimum amount required to order, but the order deadline is this Sunday February 20 — no exceptions. Market 22, which is open for carryout only Thursday through Sunday will be open on Fat Tuesday only for people that pre-ordered paczki. Orders are to be placed by phone — call 231-228-6422 to reserve yours.
Photos courtesy Neal Kokowicz