Images above: Photoluxstudio/Christian Lalonde

The concept: Group baking for a cause! Self-professed food nerds Bob Durie and Thusha Agampodi have organized a get-together for avid (and newbie) bread bakers to bake, break bread, and share their trials and tribulations. The aim of the first Ottawa Bread Bake Weekend is for everyone to “start their loaves” on Saturday (June 11) and bake a fresh loaf in time for Sunday’s after-dinner party (June 12).

How it works: Durie is encouraging everyone to share their baking photos and stories via social media using the #friendsinknead613 hashtag. “Stories of defeat and triumph are all encouraged! Our goal is to show as many people as we can, how amazing it is to take four ingredients and turn it into something delicious.”

The fund-raising part: While you wait for your bread to bake, Durie hopes you’ll make a give-what-you-can cash donation to the Ottawa Food Bank. Donations can be made online or at the after-party.

The best part: That would be the private after-party at Union 613, which starts at 7pm Sunday night. Bakers are encouraged to bring some bread to share. Durie and Agampodi will be providing dips to go with all that bread, while Union 613 will be serving up drinks, with all the profits going to the Food Bank. Durie stresses that everyone’s invited to the after-party — “Friends of bakers and non-bakers are all welcome. Just show up, hang out, and hopefully make a donation to the food bank.”

City Bites Hot Tip: Forego that big Sunday dinner and eat light. If every baker brings a loaf, it will be a carb-heavy evening (and what’s not to like about that?).