Hello!
My friend Catherine passed away two weeks ago. Maybe she was your friend, too. She was friends with so many people. Today was her funeral. I wasn't able to attend in person, but there was a live stream and so there I was, sobbing from 3000 kilometres away.
I met Catherine somewhere between 11 and 13 years ago, in the summer. I was going to the cricket with her brother and, despite having never met me, she made sure I was fully catered for. All I remember was these amazing vegan jellies, and her late arrival because of complications. Veganism 12 years ago was still not mainstream, and I hadn't had jelly lollies in forever and I was so, so blown away by her generosity and thoughtfulness. Savouries, sure. Some fruit? Definitely. But bloody vegan jelly lollies?
Two other things I have definitely eaten that Catherine made for me were:
The vegan cheeseburger cupcakes that I screamed about to her face - W I L D, so much effort for so little payback! Of course I ate several of them, but I remember telling her that I would have been happy with something so much less intricate and involved.
The last thing she made for me were lemon and passionfruit cupcakes, on the Saturday before she died. I was sitting on the train, tired, and I was a bit reluctant to travel all the way to Coburg; but it was lunar new year, and she'd made me a crochet dragon and i DEFINITELY wanted it, and it's always nice to see Catherine. So she decided to make cupcakes. They were still warm when I arrived; they were so fresh out of the oven that they fell apart when she decided to move them by grabbing the tops of them. I took half a dozen away; I didn't want to take that many, but she'd made a flavour that her husband Andrew didn't even like! So I ate two even just waiting for the bus (the bus! the things I have done for you, Catherine).
I have played with many of Catherine's recipes over the years; she was one of the first omnivorous melbunnies I knew who would so enthusiastically cater to peoples' different dietary needs.
Reflecting on my life, and having had her in it, as one is wont to do after a funeral, I think I'm going to be cooking some of Catherine's recipes in the near future. I will modify them all, as she would have wanted, and maybe I will tell you about them. Probably I would cook them for you. In fact, today I'm cooking two cheesecakes, recipe testing for a friend - I definitely would have told Catherine about them, I think she would have been interested in them.
Here are some other words about Catherine: in memoriam by someone who has known her half her life; in loving memory from the smart bitches.
On this day, and every day, may we be generous with our spirits, and our skills, and leave the world a more full, happy place when we waddle off.
My love to you all
