https://www.tastinghistory.com/recipes/funeralbiscuits?fbclid=IwY2xjawKdo1pleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFtbUVON3NYQVJRWGtOZkZZAR5S4mAKxbSgyhmhE8e4LAFbrzT_W9HQNbQv4MYabYkAQ-ErWNfYtbC3lkAN0Q_aem_uDdf5WF4m8qhZx5S-NJiEA Let's make some funeral Biscuits together! #histoicfoods #funeraltraditions #cookies #biscuits

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-funeral-pie
"Raisin pie itself isn’t particularly foreboding. But in 19th-century Pennsylvania German homes, it meant one thing: Death was near. Once it arrived, so too would friends and neighbors, coming to “redd up” the bereaved family’s home for the funeral. This meant cooking, cleaning, and baking raisin pie. The treat was such a common sight at post-memorial meals, it also became known as funeral pie (or, in Pennsylvania German, leicht-boi)."
#funeraltraditions #pie #raisinpie

#FuneralFactFriday: Bagpipes At Funerals

Why do we play bagpipes at funerals, especially for police officers and firefighters?

Bagpipes have roots among the Scottish, Irish, and Celtic (plus others!), and were routinely played at weddings, wakes, and dances. When large groups immigrated to the United States after the Great Potato Famine of the 1800s, they brought their cultural traditions with them.

When they arrived, they were met with prejudice. Unfortunately, many Scottish and Irish men were forced into difficult, dangerous jobs like policing and firefighting. Work related deaths were common. The fallen were honored with the traditions of their homeland, which included mournful bagpipe music. The hauntingly beautiful melodies allowed the normally stoic men to shed their tears.

Over time, police officers and firefighters from different heritages began to request bagpipes too. They liked the solemn dignity of the instrument and the unity it created within their departments. They even developed uniformed bands of pipers, known as Emerald Societies (an homage to the Emerald Isles). Many of the bands have over 60 members!

Bagpipe music has also been adapted for military services and funerals of every day people. We've assimilated the tradition into our cultural melting pot of funeral customs. Bagpipers can be hired to play old standards like Amazing Grace and Oh Danny Boy, or a limited range of popular songs (the instruments have nine notes with no sharps or flats). Sign me up for AC/DC's Thunderstruck!

#HisAndHearsePress #InternationalBagpipeDay #Bagpipes #Irish #Scottish #FuneralTraditions #Funeral #MortuaryScience #EmeraldSociety