Millions of doughnuts will be consumed throughout Poland today to celebrate Fat Thursday, a traditional feast in the Christian calendar which marks the beginning of the last week of Carnival before Lent.

Traditional sweets consumed in Poland on Fat Thursday mainly comprise jam-filled doughnuts, known as pączki, as well as thin strips of crispy pastry dough, known as faworki.

The tradition of eating doughnuts on Fat Thursday began in Poland during the 17th century, with the jam-filled pastries originally being deep fried in lard, which still used in some households for the occasion.

Among bakers and confectioners, Fat Thursday is regarded as one of the busiest days of the year, with many cake shops open from the early hours of the morning after a marathon night of frying doughnuts.

Statistics in the past have shown that around 100 million doughnuts are eaten on Fat Thursday in Poland, with the average Pole eating around 3 doughnuts. (jb)