A Unique Culinary Journey Through Gravestones
Rosie Grant, a 36-year-old librarian and communications manager from Los Angeles, California, has embarked on a unique culinary journey by cooking 40 recipes that are etched on gravestones. Her mission is to honor the deceased by recreating their favorite dishes, which she describes as “to die for.” This unusual endeavor began when she stumbled upon a spritz cookie recipe carved onto a woman’s headstone while interning at Green-Wood Cemetery in New York in August 2021.
The Beginning of an Unusual Mission
Inspired by this discovery, Rosie decided to bake the recipe and sit at the grave to eat it. This moment marked the start of her mission to find and recreate other recipes found on gravestones. Over time, she has compiled a collection of 40 recipes, including Texas sheet cake, no-bake cookies, guava cobbler, meatloaf, peanut butter cookies, yeast cake, and Ida’s nut rolls. In 2024, Rosie traveled to Alaska to make one of the recipes with the deceased’s family.
Expanding the Mission
Initially, Rosie thought this would be a one-off project, but it quickly evolved into a formalized process. She now actively seeks out recipes and often receives them from family members or visitors to graves. When she finds a recipe without a name, she conducts research to identify the person it belongs to. This involves contacting cemeteries or local associations to locate obituaries and reach out to the next of kin.
A Heartwarming Experience in Alaska
One of Rosie’s most cherished experiences was baking a no-bake cookie recipe in Nome, Alaska, with the family of the deceased. The family welcomed her into their home, and she cooked alongside the daughter and great-granddaughter of the deceased. They then took the cookies to the cemetery, creating a meaningful connection between the past and present.
The Process of Discovery
Rosie emphasizes the importance of understanding the recipe and its origins before preparing it. She reaches out to the family to discuss the dish and ensure accuracy. This process allows her to not only recreate the food but also learn more about the person who left the recipe behind.
Launching a Cookbook
On October 7, 2025, Rosie will launch her book titled To Die For: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes. The book will feature 40 gravestone recipes along with interviews from the families who celebrate their loved ones’ recipes. Rosie hopes this book will highlight the significance of food in remembering those who have passed away.
Gravestone Recipes
Here are some of the recipes Rosie has discovered:
- Spritz Cookies – Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson, Green-Wood Cemetery, Brooklyn, New York
- Fudge – Martha Kathryn “Kay” Kirkham Andrews, Logan City Cemetery, Logan, Utah
- Christmas Cookies – Maxine Menster, Cascade Community Cemetery, Cascade, Iowa
- No Bake Cookies – Bonnie June Rainey Johnson, Nome City Cemetery, Nome, Alaska
- Date and Nut Bread – Constance G. Galberd, Highlands in Highland Mills, New York
- Ida’s Nut Rolls Grave – Ida Kleinman, Rehovot Cemetery, Rehovot, Israel
- Yeast Cake / “Yankele’s Yeast Cake” – Yankele Topper, Location: Israel (coordinates needed)
- O’Neal’s Peach Cobbler – O’Neal Bogan Watson, New Ebenezer Cemetery, Castor, Louisiana
- Snickerdoodle Cookies – Annabell Gunderson, Willits Cemetery, Mendocino County, California
- Blueberry Pie – H Margaret Rees Davis, Mountain View Memorial Park, Lakewood, WA
- Cheese Dip – Debra Ann Nelson, Dow City Cemetery, Dow City, Iowa
- Heavenly Daze Ice Cream – Marian S. Montfort, Robertson Cemetery
- Neal Sugar Cookies – Peggy Neal, Garden of Memories Cemetery, Charleston, Arkansas
- Shearer Sugar Cookies – Fleda Jane Shearer, Magness Cemetery, Arkansas
- Christine’s Carrot Cake – Ferndale Cemetery, Ferndale, CA
- Kim’s Carrot Cake – Cape County Memorial Park Cemetery, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
- Chocolate Mint Brownies – John Rodda, Maple Grove Cemetery, Wichita, Kansas
- Dr. Death’s Ranch – Marty Lee Woolf, Riverside Memorial Park Memorials
- Guava Cobbler – Julia Bell (JB) Kelley Pate, Frierson-Hendry Cemetery, For Myers, Florida
- Chicken Soup – Valerie Vorpe, Buffalo, NY
- Peanut Butter Cookies – Beverly L. Lofland, Comal Cemetery, New Braunfels, Texas
- Irish Coffee – Joseph Alphonsus Sheridan, St. Mary’s Cemetery, Oakland, California
