Funerals
The world continues to turn, people are born, people die, Nicole Ritchie gets thinner.
Life goes on as it always does. And people need to eat (well except Nicole Ritchie it seems), something I must be forever grateful for, as it keeps this company going!
I catered a funeral the other day, always my least favourite thing to cater because it is so sad an occasion. As much as we are gathering to celebrate a person’s life, it also serves to remind us that they are no longer with us and never again (well, not in this world anyway), will we be with them. So, a sad occasion, and not my favourite, but something at which food is very important. Food is life giving, nurturing and comforting, and a funeral is when you need all those things most. At the last funeral within my family (and hopefully there shall not be another for a very long time to come) I did all the catering myself. I think that for me it was a comfort thing, a reassurance that although something had happened that meant that the world would never be quite the same again, the familiar still existed. I could distract myself from what was going on around me by concentrating on whether there was enough food for the numbers likely to attend, and whether I had enough ice (it was a hideously hot summer’s day). And by feeding people, I was looking after them, providing comfort during this horrible time. As well as giving them something to talk about to others, after how they knew the departed had been explained. Plus, by hiding away in the kitchen, I was allowed my own quiet time to reflect.
Although doing it all myself worked for me, I can understand why one would hire a caterer. There are so many things to organise, as well as having to deal with this terrible pressing grief that can make it difficult to breathe sometimes. And one wants to ensure that the loved one gets the send off that they deserve, as if by putting on a good spread you can demonstrate in public just how much you loved that person, how much you are going to miss them, how important they were, are, to you.
As well as food, I think some funerals need a good supply of booze as well. It depends on the person that you are all gathering to say goodbye to. Good food and drink allows people to relax, ties to be loosened, heels kicked off, and reminiscing to begin. Sitting around a table or in sitting room, with a good whisky or decent red being passed around as funny stories are swapped, is what makes funerals bearable I think.
So, funerals are not my favourite thing to cater for, but they are an important occasion, and one none of us is able to avoid. Having experienced our fair share of them, our company will always go out of our way to do anything we can to make things easier for the family of the departed, providing not only the food, but also anything else they may need to help the day run smoothly, be it wine, ice, extra chairs, or additional glasses and crockery; knowing the little details are covered can be a big help.
Hmm, rather a downbeat entry today. Must be the weather! I prescribe myself an instant dose of sunshine, or if that is impossible, a large mug of hot chocolate with floating marshmallows and an hour of Australian soaps. Normal service will be resumed soon!
Until then, farewell,
Penni Black x
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