Recipe for Fastnachts
"Among Germans, the day preceding Ash Wednesday is known as Fastnacht. Germans long ago made a practice of using up all fats in the house before the beginning of lent, when no meats would be eaten. The fats were used for deep frying doughnuts - and the doughnuts themselves became known as 'Fastnachts'."
The word Fastnacht (fost-nokt) translates to "Fast Night".
Early in the morning, the Haus Frau (housewife) would start frying up these delicious treats.
The dough can be made a few different ways. It can be rolled and cut in different shapes or in the traditional doughnut ring shape.
You can see a well reviewed recipe for Nana's Fastnachts here!
Typically before Lent all the fat in the home was used up so there would not be meat or meat items around for the 40 days of Lent.
Typically before Lent all the fat in the home was used up so there would not be meat or meat items around for the 40 days of Lent.
This gives a new meaning to "Fat Tuesday" if you have ever wondered why we call it that.
Fun Fact!
Carnival derives from the words "carne levare" which translates roughly "to take away meat".
This is because traditionally, in the season of lent, people gave up the consumption of meat.
Today lent is seen as a chance to give up something else for the next 40 days. It could be a food item or a non food item.
However you celebrate the lent season, you could always integrate these fried pieces of goodness into it.
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