My favorite childhood memory of Herman’s Modern Bakery

“As a child, I would run an errand for my Mom to purchase a loaf of bread for tomorrow’s sandwiches for our school lunch. … And though I am often in Washington and…unable to go to Herman’s for coffee, I still purchase their sweet bread to share with my office colleagues in Washington. The best of another 75 years for Ta Ma and Nan Kita’s children and family.”
Delegate Gregorio Kilili C. Sablan (Ind-MP)

“Herman’s Modern Bakery’s sweet bread is a must-have for any occasions—whether one is camping, fishing, visiting families off-island, typhoons, cleaning the yard, waking up in the morning with coffee—you name it, it goes well with it anything. We’ve also hand-carried these goodies to family members in Guam, [the U.S.] mainland (especially when my mother-in-law was still in Boise) and the recent trip to Palau for the former President’s funeral. As I represent the CNMI in the National Governor’s Spouse program, I am known for giving away cookies from Herman’s Modern Bakery, packed nicely with pictures that represent the Marianas”
First lady Diann Torres

“I love Herman’s! My favorite memory of Herman’s Modern Bakery while growing up is having their chocolate cake with white icing for my birthdays. The moist chocolate cake was the best—icing just sweet enough—and they had the most memorable cake toppings to make birthdays and other occasions special. A later memory I have is of my parents sending Herman’s famous sweet bread to me as I was going to college in Hawaii and the U.S. mainland. Warming it up for just 30 seconds in the microwave made it seem new and fresh, and spreading butter all over made it even better. …I still do that today”
Chris Concepcion, managing director, Office of Planning and Development under the Office of the Governor

“Some of my fondest childhood memories are of the times I spent with my grandmother at her home in Chalan Kanoa, District 3. She always had Herman’s sweet bread in her kitchen. I remember sitting with her in the mornings, dunking that bread in very sweet, very milky coffee and enjoying it with her. It was such a treat for me. I wasn’t normally allowed to drink coffee.

“My other favorite Herman’s bread story is actually my dad’s. When he was a little boy, Herman’s Modern Bakery used to sell whole, unsliced loaves of bread and that’s what my grandmother would bring home. My dad loved the soft white part of the bread, especially when it was fresh and warm—but he didn’t like the crust. So when no one was looking, he would burrow his hand into just the center part of the loaf and eat the white part, leaving the crust and a big hole in the middle. …It would make his older sisters so mad when they discovered it, and he would always get in trouble, but it was funny too. I have heard my dad tell that story so many times and I crack up every time.”
Rep. Cristina “Tina” Sablan

“My favorite childhood memory of Herman’s Modern Bakery is going to the bakery with my parents to buy sweet bread. We would have sweet bread as part of our breakfast every morning. I loved to eat it without any butter, right out of the bag, because it is so soft and delicious. Another favorite item of mine is their pan tosta. I would dip it in hot coffee/hot tea with milk, which I enjoyed with my grandparents as they also loved pan tosta for merienda (snack).

“Herman’s Sweet Bread continues to be part of our breakfast today. It is great Herman’s Bakery continues to make the sweet bread and I can continue to enjoy with my children.”
Velma Ann Palacios, president, Saipan Chamber of Commerce

“The bread, pastries, and confectionary delights that have come out from the kitchens of Herman’s Modern Bakery have fed many generations of my family and many others. Being closely related to the Pan family, it was a common occurrence to see Herman’s products on our kitchen table every day. As a child, no sandwich was complete without Herman’s regular loaf and sweet bread. My father and I used to check out the bakery on our way back from feeding the pigs at the piggery, and anxiously awaited hot, fresh bread straight out of the oven that we would not wait to get home to enjoy. The first meal I ever learned to make were hot dogs, using Herman’s hotdog buns. And I can’t ever forget how satisfying their breakfast plates were back then when I was a kid, as they are now.”
Rep. L.J. Castro

“When I was 10 years old, we went camping at PauPau Beach. I had just finished swimming and couldn’t wait to satisfy my aching appetite. My dad pulled out a pack of Herman’s sweet bread, placed some slices of Spam on the grill, and made quick, but delicious sandwiches. It was yummy, and easy to eat on the beach with my cousins. I now enjoy Herman’s sweet bread with slices of turkey or a chicken salad mix, but the sweet bread Spam sandwich will always remind me of my childhood days on the beach, camping with my family.
Rep. Sheila J. Babauta

“Whenever my sister, Mimi, travelled to Saipan, she would bring Herman’s Modern Bakery goodies home and it was always a treat I looked forward to as a child in Chuuk.”
Rep. Ivan Blanco