Dr Dan O'Brien: Death at the Table

What do we eat around death? What has food meant at funerals in the past? And why does something as small as a biscuit carry so much emotional and symbolic weight?In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I’m joined by death historian Dr Dan O’Brien to explore funerary food, mourning rituals, and the deeply human ways food helps us navigate loss. Dan’s research focuses on the undertaking trade in eighteenth century England, and together we uncover how food has shaped grief, memory, and remembrance.We discuss the fragile afterlife of the funeral biscuit wrapper, a small piece of paper that outlives the food it once held. Funeral biscuits themselves were more than simple refreshments. They were portable, symbolic, and quietly powerful, creating a tangible connection between the dead and the living.We also explore:The ritual role of food and drink at funeralsBlack sealing wax and the symbolism of opening and closingWomen’s often overlooked role in funerary hospitalityMulled wine, alcohol, and the balance between mourning and releaseHymn texts, memory, and echoes of the EucharistAt the heart of the episode is a simple but profound idea: food becomes a carrier of memory. It moves between bodies, between people, and between the living and the dead.And, in true A Curious Appetite fashion, the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Dan reveals his favourite childhood food and let’s just say, it might surprise you.For more morbid morsels and extra snippets of darkness head to my Substack: https://substack.com/@dralessandrapinoArtwork by @medusazzz Audio by @thedeliciouslegacy Music by @manu_pino_1111 Useful links: Misson, Henri. Memoirs and Observations in His Travels over England. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/mmissonsmemoirs00ozelgoogPitt Rivers Museum. “English Funeral Food.” University of Oxford. https://england.prm.ox.ac.uk/englishness-funeral-food.htmlWesley, Charles. “Worthington.” https://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/music/p45.htm