Food for Grieving: Butterfly Shortbread Cookies

Food has been affiliated with death and the funeral for a long time, but a full meal isn't something any family should be expected to provide at a memorial service or funeral. Yet, a simple pastry, something sweet like a pretty shortbread cookie with a message related to transformation fits the bill quite perfectly and offers what's most important: comfort.  These butterfly cookies (made by Bluebird Bakery in Brooklyn) worked marvelously at a recent service, and the bottled water pleased those renting the venue to us (their rule was no red wine, no coffee).