The death of a loved one is a great grief. But, unfortunately, it cannot be avoided. If a dear person has died, then relatives have many questions. Where to bury? How to think over a memorial dinner, menu? Is a dining room or cafe better suited for such an event? And this is not a complete list of issues. Today we’ll talk specifically about the commemoration.
Such a meal is not just a meal, but a rite during which relatives remember the deceased, his good deeds. During this event, people read a prayer addressed to God. They ask to forgive the deceased for all his sins. Of course, that a memorial dinner should be thought out properly, the menu of which must be drawn up correctly. To make it easier for you to determine the list of dishes, we will tell you what you need to cook for this event and why.
The principles of the memorial dinner
Lunch itself should be simple. Its main goal is to support the physical and mental strength of those who came to remember the deceased. Be sure to cook everything should be from fresh products. That should be the memorial dinner. Its menu can be varied. It all depends on the traditions of the family, wealth, as well as the preferences of people who come to remember. Although, of course, they traditionally do not invite guests, they themselves come.
A memorial dinner is not a feast during which you need to feed those who come to the dump. The purpose of the commemoration is to satiate the guests, thank them for their participation, remember the deceased, and pray for his soul. Here, as you understand, the main thing is not food, but people - dead and living, who were united by the grief of separation.
We think over a memorial dinner
We will describe the menu a little later, now we will consider the main dishes that should be at this dinner. Firstly, it is kutya (the second option is kolivo). What it is? This is a sweet porridge cooked from grains (rice, barley and other), sweetened with honey and raisins. This dish is consecrated at the memorial service. Grain here is a symbol of the resurrection of the soul, and honey and raisins denote spiritual sweetness.
What do you need?
The list of products is small:
- 0.5 kilograms of rice;
- 200 grams of dried apricots;
- three tbsp. l honey;
- nuts (optional);
- 200 grams of raisins;
- 1 liter of water (for soaking).
How is the dish prepared? Soak the grains in water overnight or for several hours. This is necessary in order to make the porridge crumbly. You need to cook until cooked. Toward the end, add honey diluted with water, as well as raisins and dried apricots. And so it turns kutya.
Borscht
This is another must-have dish. For five liters of water we will need:
- 700 grams of meat on the bone (best beef);
- three potatoes;
- two onions;
- one beet (small);
- three tomatoes;
- one bell pepper (it is best to use red or green);
- one cabbage;
- a few peas of black pepper;
- greens;
- salt.
Cooking borsch for funeral dinner
For such a meal, first prepare a broth of meat on the bone (cooked for two hours). Then there you need to pour chopped potatoes. Then take the pan, pour oil into it, put on the stove, pour the chopped onion into it. After about three minutes, add carrots and beets to the pan (of course, also cut). If you process beets in this way, then it will be able to maintain its color.
Carrots will acquire a bright, orange tint. Vegetables should be simmered in a frying pan until they become soft. Remember that carrots, onions and beets retain their taste and the greatest amount of vitamins when cooked on high heat. Then pour the contents of the pan into the broth, boil everything a bit, add shredded cabbage, bay leaf, a few peppercorns, chopped tomatoes and sweet pepper.
Cook for another 15 minutes. Then you need to try the dish and add salt. Then you can turn off the fire and remove the soup from the stove. Serve the dish hot, with sour cream. You can sprinkle with herbs.
Sweet
You can buy pies, or you can bake them yourself. We offer a banana puff recipe. What do you need?
- packaging of finished dough (500 g);
- bananas (grams 200-300);
- powdered sugar (to taste).
Cooking sweets for funeral
Take the finished puff pastry. Let it thaw, then roll. Then take a knife and draw rectangles with it. Put the banana filling on them (fruit cut into small pieces). Then connect the edges of the dough so that the filling is completely in it. Next, pin the products a little. Bake in an oven preheated to 220 degrees for about fifteen minutes. Products should be browned. Sprinkle the prepared puffs with powdered sugar.
Compote
For cooking, you can use both fresh and frozen fruits. Compote should not be sweet or too sour. How to cook? Put a five-liter pot of water on the fire, let it boil, pour in fruit (about 1 liter filled jar). Then add sugar (to taste) and cook until tender (about an hour).
The first version of the menu for thirty people
Now let's talk about what a funeral dinner should be. The menu after the funeral may be different. We offer our:
- Kutya (one pan of a liter for two). Food is eaten immediately after reading the prayer. Everyone present at the wake must take three spoons of coliva;
- borsch (one five-liter pan);
- 30 fried thighs;
- Fish in batter (two carcasses will be enough);
- three pieces of herring (sliced in circles);
- mashed potatoes (one pan);
- sausage and cheese slices (700 grams of each product);
- cutlets (30 pieces, about 3 kg of minced meat);
- salad of fresh cucumbers and tomatoes or vinaigrette (two kilograms);
- pickles and tomatoes (one and a half kilograms);
- sweet buns (two for each guest);
- sweets (two types for each guest, approximately 1.5 kg);
- five bottles of mineral water;
- three bottles of vodka and the same amount of Cahors.
If you will hold a memorial dinner for a year, the menu is quite suitable for this event. Kutia, however, can be removed from the list. She is an obligatory dish only at the funeral wake. And then - as you wish.
The second option menu for 12 people
Now we will analyze the approximate menu of the funeral dinner in a cafe or at home (for forty days). So, the list of products:
- fried fish in batter (two kilograms);
- mashed potatoes (2.5-3 kilograms);
- Olivier salad (two kilograms);
- cutlets (12 pieces, about 1.2 kg of minced meat);
- sandwiches with red fish or sprats;
- pies with cabbage or potatoes (pieces 12-15);
- pickles and tomatoes (about 1 kg);
- 5 liters of liquid (water + juice + compote)
- sweets and sweet cakes (optional).
If you plan to hold another funeral dinner later, the menu for six months, for example, may be the same. Although, of course, you can adjust the list of dishes at your discretion.
Lean
Thinking through everything, pay attention to whether there was a wake on the post. If the answer is yes, then you need to adjust the funeral dinner (menu). A lean set of dishes will not only be appropriate. but even necessary. What to prepare for such commemoration? How to adjust the regular menu by making it lean? Now make an approximate list of foods:
- uzvar;
- lean borsch;
- kutya;
- lean pancakes ;
- lean pies;
- potatoes with mushrooms;
- cabbage or carrot cutlets;
- vegetable salad (cabbage, tomatoes, cucumbers);
- the vinaigrette.
Alcohol
We described in detail how to think over the funeral dinner, we also discussed its menu. Now we will touch upon another important topic. "Which one?" - you ask. Should I drink alcohol during the funeral? There is no clear answer to this question. Some priests believe that during the funeral dinner, you can drink some red wine. The church condemns the use of alcohol during such a rite. Therefore, here you must decide for yourself whether you need alcohol at the funeral dinner or not.
Conclusion
Now you know how to make a funeral dinner. We examined the menu in detail. We have offered you a couple of options for sample lists of dishes for commemoration. We hope that our tips have helped you decide on the choice of food for such a dinner.