668: To Die For: Rosie Grant Is Documenting Gravestone Recipes

Food acts as a vital vessel for memory and cultural identity, whether preserved through the unconventional medium of gravestone epitaphs or the vibrant aisles of international grocery stores. Rosie Grant’s "Ghostly Archive" project transforms the finality of death into a celebratory act of remembrance, where recipes carved into tombstones allow families to share a loved one’s legacy through the dishes they cherished. Complementing this, Vanessa Anderson’s "Grocery Goblin" initiative treats local ethnic markets as living museums. By documenting the packaging, signage, and unique culinary offerings of these spaces, she maps the diverse social fabric of Los Angeles. Both projects demonstrate how everyday food practices—from baking a spritz cookie to shopping for sambal—anchor personal and community histories, turning ephemeral daily habits into enduring cultural artifacts.