Malasada madness

LIHUE — There appeared to be no end to the line of customers outside Kauai Bakery Tuesday at the Kukui Grove Center.

“I’ve been here since 1 a.m.,” said Guga Tosi, co-owner of Kauai Bakery, as he methodically moved between getting dough from the proofer, cooking the morsels, and unloading the cooked malasada for sugaring. “Do you realize that it’s just 11 a.m., and we’ve already gone through more than 4,000 malasada.”

A steady stream of customers qued outside the bakery, waiting for their share of malasadas on Malasada Tuesday.

“I got several boxes before work,” a customer said. “But that wasn’t enough so I’ve got to get a few more boxes.”

Danny Abadilla, a customer from the Westside, said for Catholics, Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday.

“This is the time to eat,” he said. “I’m waiting for our order.”

Malasada Day, or Malasada Tuesday, dates back to the days of the sugar plantations when the event known as Shrove Tuesday, or Fat Tuesday, refered to the practice of the last night of eating richer, fatty foods and desserts before the ritual fasting of the Lenten season.

The tradition in Hawaii was started by Leonard’s Bakery on Oahu in the early 1950s when shoppers got the original malasadas coated with sugar.

“It’s a good thing the high school soccer season is over,” said Tosi, a coach for the Kauai High School boys soccer team. “Otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to do this. The downside is that club soccer just started up over the weekend so I got practice right after this.”

All Saints’ Episcopal Church and Preschool is hosting a Shrove Tuesday Pancake Supper from 6 to 8 Tuesday at the Rectory.

The church will also host Ash Wednesday services starting at 8 this morning and at 6:30 p.m.

A special Ashes-to-Go service will be presented outside the church along Kuhio Highway from 9 to 11 a.m., and again at 3 to 5 p.m.