Paper Short Abstract:

Food is a vital component of two pre-wedding rituals practiced by women in Northern Scotland, the hen party and the blackening. Food is used in both, but in contrasting ways. This paper explores the multisensory uses of food during this liminal period and the unwritten messages it conveys.

Paper Abstract:

Food is a vital component of two pre-wedding rituals practiced by women in Northern Scotland, the hen party and the blackening. Although food is used in both, it is used in totally contrasting ways. At the hen party it is consumed, whereas at the blackening it is used as a component in a “gunge” which is thrown over the bride-to-be to dirty or “blacken” her. And while food is consumed at a hen party in an apparently normal fashion, a closer examination of consumption practice shows that there are some idiosyncrasies, both in terms of what is eaten and for what purpose. A particular group of foodstuffs has been created, lewd in appearance, to cater specifically for hen parties. This paper will explore the multisensory uses of food during this liminal period and the unwritten messages it conveys.