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Trappist Monks Make Fruitcake in Southern Missouri

By Jennifer Moore

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kcur/local-kcur-659691.mp3

Ava, Missouri – For over fifty years, a small secluded monastery of Trappist monks has thrived in southern Missouri. The Trappist tradition calls for contemplation and prayer and self-sufficiency. So for the past 20 years, the monks have been baking dark and rich fruitcakes to sell. They oversee the entire process, from marinating the fruit, to mixing, to baking, to packaging and aging, all in the monastery. It's now the peak season for fruitcake, for better or worse, and the monks are hard at work. KSMU's Jennifer Moore brings us their story from Ava Missouri.

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