Baking Your Way Through the Holidays

Every time Fr. Dominic Garramone teaches his scripture students about the multiplication of the loaves, he bakes. Bread, of course. As he is head of the religion department at St. Bede Academy in Peru, IL, it is not surprising. After all, he’s also The Bread Monk. Member of the Order of St. Benedict, host of a former PBS television show, a prolific author and one of God’s best-known Breadheads.
 
By day, he teaches scripture and sacraments, is the school’s drama director (he has published two plays) and handles myriad other abbey duties. Off hours, he’s found either in the abbey kitchen or herb garden, writing or preparing to travel Illinois giving lively and entertaining bread demos to civic and religious groups.
 
Fr. Dom brings his talent, personality and humor to St. Hubert on Saturday, November 23 with Baking Your Way Through the Holidays. Presented by the Café Ministry, it is free and open to the public from 10 AM to Noon at the St. Hubert Parish Ministry Center, 729 Grand Canyon, Hoffman Estates, IL. Reservations are suggested – 847-885-7700 or speakerseries@sainthubert.org.
 
Fr. Dom says his culinary education is a result of ``my mother’s kitchen, PBS and the public library.’’ His interactive presentation gently walks the audience through creating breads to make this year’s holiday celebrations extra special:
● Gluten-free Pumpkin Scones with sweet cream cheese filling.
● Bambino Bread – shaped like Baby Jesus in swaddling clothes.
● French Toast Custard Casseroles
● An Epiphany Cake that makes family feel like the Three Kings.
 
Delicious samples (warm from the oven), free door prizes, and audience participation heighten the fun.
 
Shop the Monks’ Market treats from the Abbey, beeswax candles, honey and kitchen gadgets - thoughtful holiday gifts for a favorite foodie. Or choose one of Fr. Dom’s many baking books. Or His Brother Jerome and the Angels in the Bakery, which received the 2011 Christopher Award for Children’s Books and the 2011 Catholic Press Association’s First Place Award for children’s books.
 
While his PBS program no longer airs, “The Bread Monk’’ is still seen on occasional PBS pledge specials. He’s also a baking instructor on Blueprint.com. Learn more about Fr. Dom at www.breadmonk.com. Please come and meet him at St. Hubert November 23.