Funeral Potatoes
The dish that most people in America know as potato casserole is referred to by Mormons as "funeral potatoes." Because it's customary for Mormons to serve this potato dish at funerals. The logic, I suppose, is that it's comfort food. Wikipedia says that the typical ingredients of funeral potatoes are: "hash browns or cubed potatoes, cheese (cheddar or Parmesan), onions, cream soup (chicken, mushroom, or celery) or a cream sauce, sour cream, and is topped with butter and corn flakes or crushed potato chips."
Funeral potatoes are one of a number of foods specifically associated with funerals in some cultures. Another example, previously mentioned here on WU, is Yorkshire Funeral Biscuits. And the Amish have a dish they call Funeral Pie, which is a raisin pie.
There must be other funeral-specific dishes, but I haven't yet found them.
Comments
I know that in the past in the UK, a Sin Eater was fed bread and ale. This meant that he took on the sins of the deceased. He also got some cash.
Posted by BMN on 08/11/14 at 09:11 AM
Would that be a killer recipe for funeral potatoes? :lol: :coolsmile:
Posted by Tyrusguy on 08/11/14 at 10:13 AM
I added a relevant book in our sidebar.
Posted by Paul on 08/11/14 at 11:04 AM
It has been my experience that many of the same dishes show up for most events like weddings or funerals - creamed potatoes, creamed green beans with the canned fried potato shred on top, baked beans, chicken fried steak, etc. We potlucked my brother's wedding a few years ago and I think it was better than hiring a caterer.
The recipe for the Amish "Funeral Pie" looks close to a mincemeat pie. Don't laugh, but for years I would not eat a mincemeat pie because I thought the name really meant that there was meat in the filling.
The recipe for the Amish "Funeral Pie" looks close to a mincemeat pie. Don't laugh, but for years I would not eat a mincemeat pie because I thought the name really meant that there was meat in the filling.
Posted by KDP on 08/11/14 at 11:06 AM
Over here it some bland mixture of grains and mystery stuff, a bit of cake, bitter coffee and/or really, really bad brandy.
The cake is OK, the coffee's OK but the mystery stuff seems to a carrier of food poisoning if not prepared carefully.
The cake is OK, the coffee's OK but the mystery stuff seems to a carrier of food poisoning if not prepared carefully.
Posted by Expat47 in Athens, Greece on 08/11/14 at 11:46 AM
KDP, proper mincemeat did contain meat in the old days. Now if you want to have that type of mincemeat you have to make it yourself.
Posted by Anne on 08/11/14 at 02:22 PM
Maybe at my funeral I will have them serve "Funeral Wieners". Then they can all say what a dick I was... so eat me.
Posted by BrokeDad in Midwest US on 08/11/14 at 07:49 PM
Every wake I've ever been to had Guinness beer and Irish whiskey.
Posted by tadchem on 08/12/14 at 01:37 PM
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Category: Death | Food