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| Good Shepherd parishioners J.P. Fedele and Eileen Alt, above, work the new machine that is being used this year for producing pfeffernuesse cookies. (Photo by Jane Lepeska Grinde) |
MADISON — Rather than a St. James Church basement full of “holy rollers” this fall, only six people are working each of the three weekly shifts to produce the traditional pfeffernuesse cookies sold at the annual fall festival.
For the first time in the 44 years of producing pfeffernuesse, the cookies are being “spit” out of a machine onto the large cookie sheets.
No hand rolling this year
“No hand rolling this year,” said the bulletin announcement to the disappointment of many of the regulars who enjoyed the time for socializing.
The machine, ordered online and previously used by a bakery, took some getting used to, said Paul Scott who oversees the cooking operation.
The machine temporarily replaces one that is a specially rigged sausage maker that produces ropes of dough that are then pushed through a special wire grating for rolling into nicely shaped balls.The volunteers
J. P. Fedele is one of three who operates the new machine. He has been working with the pfeffernuesse since he took over for his dad Sam who passed away in 1994. That’s longer than Scott has been involved with the cookies.
Long active in the parish with his wife Carol, he started as a co-leader with Betty Schuchardt after Betty’s brother Emmett passed away in 2011. Emmett, a life-long parish member, is recognized, along with former parishioner Dorothy Dittman, for starting the largest fundraiser of the church in 1976.
Emmett established and cooked for the church’s spaghetti, pork hock-sauerkraut, and fall festival dinners.
If not for the pandemic, Betty and Dorothy would be rolling the dough this year, joining the many faithful parishioners, former parishioners, and friends who look forward to a relaxing evening of conversation as they hand roll the dough into small round balls and place them on large cookie sheets.
All were welcome whether one-time only or more often during the 10 weeks starting the last week of August and continuing until the last week of October.
This year, with the use of the machine, only seven volunteers masked and physically distanced from each other helped work in the church basement.
One mixes the dough, two work the machine, one greases the pans, and another is in charge of baking; two more volunteers bag, weigh, and tie, and label the bags.
Paul and Carol Scott work together on the pfeffernuesse and the hidden treasures sale which is mostly online at https://www.ebay.com/str/gshiddentreasures
Revamped fall festival
Peggy Adamowicz and Wanda Behling chair this year’s revamped fall festival which includes a carry-out dinner food sale from 12 noon to 3 p.m., and an online auction from October 24 to November 8 ending at 9 p.m.
All food must be pre-ordered by October 25 (see the ad in this week’s edition) for the November 8 event. Ordering and auction registration can be done on GSPSA20.givesmart.com
Parishioners get priority in purchasing pfeffernuesse after Mass the weekend of October 24.
Any left-over bags will be available on a first-come, first-served basis at the festival.
St. James Church, along with St. Joseph Church, Beltline Hwy, make up the Good Shepherd Parish which also includes St. James Catholic School which will celebrate 115 years in continuous operation in 2021.
For more information on the festival is available online at https://www.thegoodshepherdmadison.org or call the parish office at 608-268-9930.