White Bread World

     Later this morning I will have the solemn duty to perform a funeral.  The family will gather at the funeral home to hear my remarks and then we will proceed to the cemetery for the interment.  Following that brief ceremony all those who mourn will gather at a local establishment for the traditional funeral luncheon. 
     In her book Death Warmed Over, Lisa Rogak describes such events in America as "white bread,"  bland, unexciting and predictable.  In polling some of her WASP friends about the food they most remember being served at funeral luncheons the most frequent response was "baloney and cheese slapped in between two slices of Wonder Bread."  Some of the more adventurous responses included variations on egg and chicken salad sandwiches.  That makes the Minnesota Lutheran's funeral "hot dish" seem bold in comparison.  Such is the plight of funerals in Protestant America.

 

     So to us in America, funerals in Jamaica must look like outright celebrations.  To ward off the spirit of the deceased and encourage it to move on to the next life, a raucous celebratory wake not only celebrates the life of the deceased but fills the soul of the dearly departed with good cheer to disable any evil that might remain.

     A Jamaican wake is a lengthy event, lasting for nine nights after the burial.  They dance and sing loudly each night until midnight.  After nine nights the soul is then ready to make the journey to the other side.  Then, forty nights after the death another party is held and another night of dancing and singing is held just to make sure the dearly departed has really done so.

     Some Jamaicans also place several johnnycakes (the original term was journey cake) in the casket with the deceased just before the burial to make sure that the soul has enough food for the journey.

JOHNNYCAKE

1 cup yellow cornmeal                                                   1 1/3 cups pastry flour

1 1/2 cups milk                                                                2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature                             1 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar                                                                  1 egg 

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Grease an 8" square pan.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal and 1/2 cup of the milk.  Set aside.  In another bowl, cream the butter and gradually add the sugar.  Set aside.  In another bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together.  In a glass measuring cup, beat together the egg and the remaining 1 cup of milk.  Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk/egg mixture to the butter mixture, stirring after each addition until combined.  Add the cornmeal mixture and mix until smooth. 

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes.  Cut into 9 squares and serve hot with butter and syrup, if desired.