KALAHEO — There is a whole process of waiting, said Glenda Vierra, Thursday at the Holy Cross Church social hall.
“We — three of us ladies — get here at 5 a.m. to start the mixing,” Vierra said. “At 8 a.m., we roll out the dough, and then there is the whole process of waiting for the dough to rise.”
The waiting is the magic behind the loaves of sweet bread and rolls that come out of the oven in the Holy Cross Church certified kitchen. Conversation enhances the aromatic tell-tale flavor of the developing bread as the Holy Cross Alter Society members go over a variety of topics ranging from contemporary news to local family happenings.
“We have been doing bread for the bazaar since 2008,” Vierra said. “The recipe comes from my family who learned how to do this after having to make bread for a bakery. I don’t know how to make bread in the traditional brick oven because we’ve always had to do it from commercial ovens.”
Glenda Vierra’s recipe for sweet bread, and her active participation in creating the morsels fuel the annual Alter Society Bazaar which takes place Saturday morning from 7 a.m. to noon. The early opening allows people ample time to get the home-made sweet bread and rolls in time for breakfast and still allows time for participation in other events like the Veterans Day parade which starts at 9:30 a.m. in Lihue.
The bread is the star of the bazaar which is the signature event for the Alter Society, and features a variety of baked goods, foods, pickles, jams and jellies, plants, and white elephant items all produced by the society members.
“We will be baking 250 more loaves, Friday,” Vierra said. “And we still have to be here by 5 a.m., Saturday. We should have at least 500 loaves. Last year, we didn’t have enough.”
Donna Miller, president of the Alter Society that supports about 35 members, said in addition, donations for lucky numbers will be available for premiums that include quilts created by the society members, grocery baskets, and more.
“The main purpose of the Alter Society is to take care of the church’s alter, and other church needs,” Miller said. “We help with other fundraising efforts by the church, but this bazaar is our single fundraiser for the year.”
