Malasada

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A malasada (or malassada) is a Portuguese confection related to the doughnut, or more appropriately the Paczki and its variants. They were first made by inhabitants of São Miguel Island, part of the Azores. Malasadas are made of egg-sized balls of yeast dough that are deep-fried in oil and coated with granulated sugar. Traditional malasadas contain neither holes nor fillings, but some varieties of malasadas are filled with flavored cream or other fillings.

Traditionally, the reason for making malasadas has been to use up all the lard and sugar in the house, traditionally forbidden during Lent. They are eaten especially on Mardi Gras, the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.

Malasadas are especially popular in Hawaii, where Portuguese laborers from the Azores came to the plantations in 1878, bringing their traditional foods with them. Today, there are numerous bakeries in the islands that specialize in making malasadas, perhaps the most famous of which are Leonard's Bakery and Champion Malasadas in Honolulu. The annual Punahou School Carnival is a popular venue for these confections.

Malasadas are also popular on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, where they are called "flippers."

Mardi Gras ("Fat Tuesday"), the day before lent day, is also known as Malasada Day in Hawaii. Being predominantly Catholic, Portuguese immigrants would need to use up all of their butter and sugar prior to lent. They did so by making large batches of Malasadas, which they would subsequently share with friends from all the other ethnic groups in the plantation camps. This lead to the popularity of the Malasada in Hawaii. Still a tradition in Hawaii, Leonard's Bakery would experience long lines to purchase discounted Malasadas on this day.