Rosie Grant, a 33-year-old librarian and communications manager from Los Angeles, has embarked on a fascinating culinary journey inspired by an unexpected find on a tombstone. While pursuing her master’s degree at the University of Maryland, Grant stumbled upon a spritz cookie recipe engraved on a headstone in August 2021. Intrigued, she decided to try baking the cookies and even brought them back to the grave for a poignant munch-and-mourn ritual.
What started as a curious experiment soon turned into a passion as Grant discovered that recipes engraved on tombstones were more common than anticipated. Fascinated by this hidden culinary legacy, she began her quest to recreate the dishes featured on 23 different gravestones across the country, ranging from Utah to Alaska. Grant even went a step further and visited six of the gravesites, bringing along her homemade versions of the recipes as a unique way to connect with the deceased.
Sharing her ghostly baking adventures on TikTok via her account @GhostlyArchive, Grant quickly gained a following of over 193,000 people, with her videos amassing nearly 8 million likes. As she chronicled her experiences, families of the deceased whose recipes were engraved on gravestones started reaching out to her, eager to share their relatives’ stories and recipes. This unexpected connection with people from various backgrounds further fueled Grant’s passion for her unusual culinary endeavor.
For Grant, these gravestone recipes are not merely about food; they hold a deeper significance. Previously uncomfortable discussing the topic of death, she has developed a newfound perspective through her culinary exploration. The recipes engraved on the gravestones have become a way for Grant to honor and remember the deceased while celebrating the joy of cooking and the importance of food in family relationships.
Although cookie recipes seem to be a common find on gravestones, Grant believes they are particularly suited for this purpose. Cookies are forgiving and require minimal instructions, making them ideal for the limited space on a gravestone. Moreover, they often feature simple, staple ingredients like butter, sugar, and eggs.
When asked if she would consider engraving a recipe on her own gravestone one day, Grant expressed her willingness, choosing clam linguine as the dish to be remembered by. She envisions her family reminiscing about the memories they shared while cooking together.
As Grant continues her quest to visit all the graves with the food they feature, her unique project serves as a reminder that recipes and food have the power to bridge the gap between the past and the present, bringing people together through shared experiences and cherished memories.
