Fastnacht Frenzy at Vallos Bakery in Salisbury Township

Fastnacht fanatics flooded Vallos Bakery in Salisbury Township Tuesday morning to pick up a dozen or two..or ten of their Fat Tuesday favorites. The traditional Pennsylvania Dutch doughnut, known as a fastnacht, is the highlight each year of Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of the Christian Lenten season, the forty days leading up to Easter.

Fastnachts in the Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish tradition were made as a way to empty the pantries of lard, sugar, fat and butter before the start of Lent. These items were avoided during  the fast.

At Vallos Bakery, owners Scott and Tina Hanuschak prepared and sold about 1,200 dozen plain, glazed, sugared and powdered fastnachts on Monday and Tuesday. The Hanuschaks are the third generation of family owners of the bakery, which was started by Tina's grandfather in 1926.