Mount Mary College Spices Up the Holidays with Annual Fruitcake Sale

Sister Georgeann Krzyanawski, SSND, Mount Mary’s Director of Buildings and Grounds, carries on a 30-year tradition of making fruitcakes with tender loving care. Each 100-pound batch of the Mount Mary is carefully hand-mixed. “If we made them in a mixer, we’d need a paddle as big as an oar,” said Sister Georgeann. “These fruitcakes are truly hand-made. The recipe is simple and natural. The secret is all in the process,” she added.

Sister Georgeann began as an assistant to her predecessor, Sister Mary John Van Vonderen, SSND, who retired from the College and fruitcake making at age 95. Tom Schmitz, the College’s Food Service Director at the time, worked closely with Sister Mary John in developing the fruitcake making.

In 1989, Sister Georgeann assumed the duties as chief fruitcake maker and assembled a select team to sort, measure and mix her masterpieces. Although she does not have an exact count, over the years she has made thousands of fruitcakes. Last year, she made over 700.

Recipients rave about the taste and texture and many customers from all over the globe reorder every year. Fruitcakes have traveled to California, Pennsylvania, Washington, Hawaii and the Vatican.

In past years proceeds have funded various college improvements. In spring, 2008, College officials decided to use accumulated proceeds to endow the Sister Georgeann Fruitcake Scholarship. The first scholarship was awarded this fall to an adult student pursuing a degree in education.

Sister Georgeann’s rich, buttery fruitcakes are available to the general public again this year. They come in two sizes – a 1 lb fruitcake sells for $13 and a 2 lb fruitcake is $19.These prices are more affordable than popular mail order outlets which sell comparable sizes for $7-10 more per fruitcake.

Orders can be placed until December 14th by calling Mount Mary College at 414-258-4810, ext 333 or at http://www.mtmary.edu/news.htm.