For perhaps longer than Elli (Vallente) Panichas can remember, members of the Holy Cross Church Women’s Guild have been known for their baking skills. As soon as the non-profit’s Christmas bake sale is announced, orders start pouring in and the two-day event is always a complete sellout.
“The women take tremendous pride in baking the finest Italian cookies and holiday pastries you’ll find anywhere,” Panichas, a noted long-time public relations executive who is part of the group, said. “They will again offer authentic, old-world cookies, made with the finest ingredients…many of the items we feature during the Christmas Bake Sale are made from traditional recipes that have been passed on to family members for generations. It’s really quite an amazing story about each and every item we make.”
The Holy Cross Church Women’s Guild will hold its annual Christmas Bake Sale on Saturday, Dec. 10 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 11 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. inside the Roman Catholic Parish center at 645 Hartford Avenue on the Johnston-Providence line.
“We tell people to come early,” said Panichas, “especially on Saturday when shoppers will obviously find the best selection. We are all proud to preserve the Italian-American Christmas tradition of handmade Italian cookies and confections.”
Panichas added that for the first time the bake sale will include an assortment of gluten free cookies and a variety of holiday sweet loaves, cakes and loose cookies the Women’s Guild will sell by the pound. Customers will find “sweet surprises by our bakers who have many years of experience making all kinds of special holiday goodies.”
So much so, in fact, people who have taken in the Christmas Bake Sale in previous years have been known to say “Let the Holy Cross Church Women’s Guild do all your holiday baking. Their recipes and skills are one of a kind.” Offerings will include prune and cherry slices, egg biscuits, molasses cookies, almond bars, anise slices, butterballs, macaroons and world polenta cookies.
Panichas said people can purchase traditional cookie trays by either one or two and a half-pound trays. Small assortment packages of cookies will also be on sale. To order cookies in advance, email atolad@aol.com or call Ann Dalo at 944-5967 to order mixed Italian holiday cookie trays.
The event will offer free refreshments and a raffle with prizes including money and a Befana Christmas doll basket. For more information call Panichas at 943-1219 or Linda Gillooly at 465-0019.
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