For bakeries, Paczki Day is like a national holiday. Retail bakeries across the country are planning to introduce creative varieties of paczki just in time. Paczki are deep-fried pieces of dough, similar to donuts but uniquely different. They are shaped into flattened spheres and filled with a sweet filling, traditional to Polish cuisine. Paczki are usually covered with powdered sugar or icing.

Firecakes Donuts, the artisan donut shop with two locations in Chicago, has unveiled this year's paczki lineup, available just in time for the annual Fat Tuesday (February 9) celebration. There are three different varieties: Raspberry & Blood Orange Jelly Filled, Chocolate Custard Filled and Meyer Lemon Filled. Paczki are available in two sizes: small for $2.19 and large for $2.67.

Paczki Day is special unto itself, drawing crowds and huge pre-orders.

Tuesday, February 9 is also National Bagel Day. And since great cream cheese deserves great bagels, Arla is partnering with the Philadelphia retail bakery Spread Bagelry on February 9 to give the first 1,000 in-store customers a free Montreal style, wood-oven bagel topped with a generous schmear of Arla Cream Cheese. 

For cream cheese lovers who aren't able to visit Spread Bagelry on Tuesday that want to celebrate National Bagel Day, customers are invited to visit ArlaUSA.com to download a $1 off coupon and to find a nearby retailer.

Spread Bagelry bagels are made the Montreal way - artisanal, hand rolled, boiled in honey water then baked in small batches all day long in a wood-fired brick oven. Visit Spread Bagelry at http://www.spreadbagelry.com or at 262 South 20th Street in Philadelphia, PA.