Parma Shop Produces The World's First Beer Paczki

Lidia Trempe/Photo credit: Jim McIntyre

The sign above baker Lidia Trempe's head trumpets the world's first beer paczki.  They were introduced today at Rudy's Strudel Shop on Ridge Road in Parma.  Lidia infuses a vanilla stout from Cleveland's Portside Distillery to flavor the Pivo paczki, one of more than two dozen flavors offered now through Shrove Tuesday on February 17th.

Lidia explains how the Polish made the paczki popular, and why they are traditionally sold only leading up to Ash Wednesday, when many Christians begin a lenten fast for the 40 days before Easter.

On Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday Rudy's Strudel Shop will feature a polka band, a food truck from Sterle's Country House, and of course, paczki.  From the sweet cream and jelly filled to the savory Clevelander, featuring kielbasa and sauerkraut.  And pivo paczki.  Lidia expects to sell more than 50,000 paczki on that day.

If you aren't a fan of beer, you can always try the pina colada paczki.

Rudy's will open at 6:00 AM on Fat Tuesday.  It is located at 5580 Ridge Road in Parma.