[Sca-cooks] funerary practices involving food

[King's Taste Productions]

Keeping in mind that this is a Victorian source, here are the entries I
could find regarding food practices.
Christianna
 
 
 
"Military and Religious Life in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance"  by
Paul Lacroix, first published in 1874.  
Excerpts from the last chapter:   'Burials and Funeral Ceremonies'
 
 
"When the Pagans adopted the custom of interment, they laid by the side
of the dead the insignia of his profession, and any objects which had
been dear to him during his lifetime; to this they added various vases
containing food and drink, to serve him as a viaticum during his more or
less prolonged journey to a better world.  In the coffins of Christians,
on the contrary - even from the earliest times - the funeral furniture
appears to have been next to nothing; a phial containing some perfume,
with one, two, or perhaps three vases, of wood, glass, or clay, filled
with holy water." 
 
"Researches and excavations made in France of late years have led to the
discovery of numerous barbarian cemeteries, and have enabled us to
ascertain what were Merovingian, or, as it would perhaps be more
accurate to say, the Germanic funeral customs.  These customs evidently
were replaced by others when the barbarian finally settled in Gaul, that
is, about the middle of the ninth century.  The habit of placing in the
coffin various pieces of black, red, or white pottery together with
small vases which seem to have been intended for the same purpose as
those used in Christian burials [incense], existed during this period.
These vases, often very numerous, no doubt contained food; they were
frequently accompanied by a small wooden jar, the handle of which was
very richly mounted, and which the savans at one time took to be a
Merovingian diadem.  But a chemical analysis of the solid residue found
in one of these jars, led to the discovery that they were filled with an
alimentary substance which gave out a strong odour of fermented beer."
 
(Describing Royal Funeral Ceremonies of the Middle Ages, but no specific
date or place given:)
"The royal effigy was laid in state for eight or ten days, during which
time the ordinary service of the palace went on just the same as during
the king's lifetime.  At the dinner and supper hours the table was laid
by the officers, and the courses arranged by the gentlemen-in-waiting,
preceded by the usher, and followed by the officers of "the king's
buttery", who approached the table with the customary obeisances.  The
bread was then cut and placed ready for being handed round, the dishes
were brought to the table by an usher, the maitre d'hotel, the pantler,
the pages, the squire of the kitchen, and the keeper of the plate; the
napkin was presented by the maitre d'hotel to the highest personage
present; grace was said by a prelate or an almoner, who recited the
prayers for the dead.  All those who were in the habit of eating at the
king's table during his lifetime were expected to be present at each of
the repasts, together with the other persons of his household, the
princes, princesses, and prelates.  The dishes were afterwards
distributed amongst the poor. "