KALAHEO — Maryann Manintin arrived with her secret recipe Thursday afternoon at the Holy Cross Church certified kitchen.
“We’re lucky she showed up,” said Donna Miller, president of the Alter Society of Holy Cross. “Our baker got sick.”
Manintin, armed with her “ancient secret recipe from grandma,” led the group of women to create sweet bread loaves and sweet bread pans of rolls in preparation for the annual Alter Society’s bazaar that starts from 7 a.m. today at the Holy Cross Church.
“We’re going to have more than 200 loaves and pans of rolls,” Manintin said. “But that’s going to go fast, so people need to get here, early.”
The handmade loaves of bread are the mainstay of the bazaar that benefits the Alter Society of Holy Cross.
“We’ll have other things, too,” Miller said. “The Noble Men of Holy Cross will be having kalua pork available. There will also be gandule rice and pasteles. New for this year, we’ll be having a Puerto Rican plate.”
This is in addition to the offering of hand-made crafts, jams, jellies, pickles, plants, and lucky number giveaways throughout the morning.
“This is our annual big event,” Miller said. “The Alter Society — we are the last one remaining in the state — provides for the needs of the church, the Father, and alter boys. We also help with some of the church groups like the teens who may want to do something. We help pay for that. We also donate to the St. Theresa School.”
Miller said the Alter Society hosts smaller events periodically, including soup kitchens, and cooking breakfast for the church.
“But this is the single biggest source of fundraising for us,” she said. “It’s also one of the few places where the home-made sweet bread is available. But, come early.”
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
