Beer and Bereavement

Yesterday morning, I got a call from my mother that my great uncle D was moved to hospice care. I didn’t really know my mother’s parents, and it was my uncle D and his wife who stepped in as surrogate grandparents. Despite living over 12 hours away, they attended all of the major events in our lives that they could, from first communion, to multiple graduations, to our wedding, and the births of our children. Aunt D and Uncle D’s marriage is the epitome of spousal love in every way, as I saw them care for each other like no other couple that I’ve known. 

When I got the call about uncle D being moved to hospice, I sent a message to a group text that I’m on with a few girlfriends. That afternoon one of my friends left a box of salted chocolate chip cookies from a local bakery and a six-pack of Green Man Porter from Asheville, NC by our back door. At the time, she couldn’t have known how much that was needed and what it meant.

(Firstly, this particular pairing reminded me of a memory that I share with her, in which I ended up breaking my foot. I do love cookies and a smooth porter, and in this particular memory, just thinking of that pairing got the better of me. More on that later.)

Secondly, that evening I really did need a distraction, and of course I had to photograph this delicious doorstep pairing…

Arranging cookies on a floral plate that belonged to my father’s mother...

Finding an heirloom jar for some fresh flowers…

Placing the plated cookies, freshly-poured porter, and fresh flowers on an embroidered table runner, that had been carefully stitched by a great grandmother.

This delicate arrangement was the perfect distraction.

In emotionally heavy times, I see the comfort in rich food and drink.

The bakery cookies were large with big chocolate chunks. The outside of the cookie was perfectly crisp and salty, while the inside contrasted with its soft sweetness. The perfect cookie to be paired with Green Man’s Rick Dark Ale. Green Man’s porter checks off all of the traditional porter boxes with its dark color, silky, medium body feel, and faint smoky aromas. This porter, however, exceeds my expectations with its strong chocolate and coffee flavors and subtle hints of caramel and nuttiness. I also like the fact that the hop flavors are barely even a footnote in this brew, making it a great pairing for sweet treats… like giant chocolate chip cookies. This pairing of porter and cookies, was beyond perfect for the moment at hand.

I was still sipping the porter when my mother called to tell me that Uncle D had passed away. I’ll miss him, but I’m mostly heartbroken for my aunt and cousins. I take great solace in the fact that Uncle D was a good man who led a great life. He was in the military, he was a fisherman, he was a racecar driver. He was a friend, husband, father, uncle, great-uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather. Uncle D lived big and loved bigger.