About a month ago I was asked by my husband's parents to make a cake. Not just any cake but a cake for a special celebration. That special celebration being my husband's grandfather's memorial service.
In Korea the death of the head of the family (Father) is celebrated with a ceremony each year on the date that the person passed away. The whole family gets together, the men sit around and eat and the women cook a huge meal for the men and prepare special food to give to the deceased.
After the men have finished eating and talking a special table is set and a ceremony is preformed where drinks are poured for the deceased and offered to them and the family bows to them. Generally the men just pour the drinks, but when a new person joins the family through marriage they also should join in, in the ceremony and the deceased should 'meet' them. So my husband and I poured a drink for his grandfather and offered it up to him.
After the ceremony everyone sits around and talks and eats the food that was on the ceremonial table. The cake was a huge hit, as well as the chocolate covered strawberries I made to go with it. I felt very special, and welcomed into the family to be asked to contribute something to the table.
It is summer time here in Korea. Summer time makes me think of fresh berries, especially blueberries. Unfortunately blueberries can't grow in Korea, for whatever reason. But I was lucky enough to find canned 'fresh' berries in the international section of a big supermarket here.
