in article , pfoley at
wrote on 8/22/06 10:51 AM:

>
> "Melba's Jammin'" > wrote in message
> ...
>> We drove 2-1/2 hours northwest to attend the funeral of
>> WhatshisnamehisnameisJamie's uncle. Nice man. Died too young. Too
>> young. Damn cigarettes. I wanted to see what kind of Dead Spread the
>> Baptists put on. At LAST!! Food made by Church Ladies. Hotdish!
>> Jell-o!! Ham for sandwiches (Wonder Bread slices, not dollar buns).
>> Pickles. The dessert table was -- uh -- "different." Only my brownies
>> and an angel food cake were on serving plates; everything else was still
>> in its pan.
>>
>> Rest in peace, Tim. Your grandson was blessed to have you for two years
>> and he's heartbroken.
>> --
>> -Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
>> http://jamlady.eboard.com - Dead Spread, 8-21-06
>> http://web.mac.com/barbschaller
> ====================
> The Irish American Wakes are the only way to go.
> --------------
Finally a thread I can address with modest authority! When I mostly gave up
a catering business I had, I found the calls from families of the deceased
to be the hardest to turn away. How do you say "no" to someone whose wife or
dad has just died?

So I ended up retaining only those, and am, in my particular little pond,
the Princess of "Collation" Foods... a slightly gentler euphemism for the
food after funerals and memorial services than "dead spread" or worse, "cold
meat parties"!!

It is fascinating indeed to see the differences in customs folks follow. In
our area (Boston) the Protestants go more for small sandwiches and little
desserts. Catholics, in general, host smaller groups with hardier fare,
something hot, potato salad, etc. Maybe that¹s because they hold funerals
before lunchtime almost exclusively.

My personal favorites are the elderly little ladies who eat with great
relish since so many of their meals are eaten alone, and who manage to haul
away an equal amount to enjoy back at home while they reflect on the
deceased, or about how fat Minnie has gotten.

Now the dilemma is: Is serving Devils Food or Angel Food cake in indelicate
taste? And, of those others who bake for funerals, does this problem ever
clutter their minds?

O:-)

Linda