Ever wondered what Lembas Bread, Cram, or Beorn''s Honey Cakes might taste like?
From Crickhollow Apple Loaf, Pippin''s Minas Tirith Lunch, and Brandywine Fish Pie to Dwarven Spiced Pickled Beetroot, Westfarthing Fairings, and Beorn''s Twice-Baked Cakes, Recipes from the World of Tolkien includes over 75 mouth-watering recipes that will take you on a journey through Middle-earth, delivering a treat for your taste buds and your imagination.
Immerse yourself in Tolkien''s epic fantasy world with recipes inspired by its places and characters. Whether it''s breakfast or second breakfast, elevenses or afternoon tea, lunch or dinner - cook up a feast fit for orcs and elves alike.
This collection of delicious recipes also features stunning illustrations and artwork throughout, as well as short feature essays that explore the compelling role of food in Tolkien''s works. This is the perfect, must-have addition to any Tolkien fan''s bookshelf.
This work is unofficial and is not authorized by the Tolkien Estate or HarperCollins Publishers.
Release date:
September 3, 2020
Publisher:
Octopus Books
Print pages:
176
* BingeBooks earns revenue from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate as well as from other retail partners.
In both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, warriors and heroes, big and small, Men, Dwarves, Wizards and Hobbits – Hobbits especially – are shown to be interested in, even preoccupied with, food and drink. There are dozens of references to breakfasts, second breakfasts, lunches, suppers and feasts – and plenty more to other foodstuffs, from travellers’ waybreads to near-miraculous draughts.
Tolkien’s concern with food, however, goes far beyond the merely utilitarian. His descriptions of the aforementioned meals are often detailed and loving – suggesting the real pleasure that the characters and their creator take in eating and drinking. Who can forget Sam’s comforting rabbit stew, rustled up in the wilderness to sustain his beloved friend and master Frodo? Or the honeyed cakes and mead of Beorn the skin-changer, or the vegetarian feast created by Tom Bombadil and Goldberry? Tolkien’s tour de force in this respect, of course, is the unexpected party that opens The Hobbit, where delicious cakes, pies and other treats accumulate in a mouth-watering pile.
There is a deeper aspect to the omnipresence of food in Tolkien’s stories, however. At one level, it contributes to their narrative structure: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings both begin with homely feasts before the adventure properly begins. This pattern repeats itself through the books, with a crisis of suspense and jeopardy followed by a respite often marked by a good meal of some kind, and so on, so that the reader constantly moves between breathless excitement and feelings of cosseted charm. At another level still, the food in the stories sometimes has a real emotional punch. Sam’s making of the rabbit stew is an act of love for Frodo, offering a hopeful vision of home amid the despair.
Food in Tolkien is about these things: companionship and friendship, love and hope, and – perhaps most importantly of all – home. No surprise, then, that the Lembas bread of the Elves have a spiritual, even godly, quality about them.
In this book, you will find a rich collection of recipes inspired by the food and dishes in The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Some like the Pork Pie as served by Bilbo at his tea party (here), Sam’s Coney Stew and Beorn’s Honey Cakes are, to some extent, recreations of actual dishes found in the books; while others pay homage, more fancifully, to the characters, peoples and places, like the Roasted Stuffed Pepper Flames, inspired by the flame-clothed Balrogs, or the Grey Havens Garlicky Grilled Mussels, in honour of the Elven port.
The recipes are arranged according to the Hobbits’ six daily meals – Breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevenses, Luncheon, Afternoon Tea, Dinner/Supper – though inevitably quite a few could just as well have been included in one section as another. There is a final section on drinks, too, which like food plays an important role in Tolkien’s tales.
With the above in mind, it’s time to explore the smells and tastes of Middle-earth. Enjoy experimenting, discovering and, of course, eating all the delicious ingredients found in these recipes, and let whatever you decide to conjure up transport you straight into Tolkien’s legendary world.
Rivendell
Holman Greenhand, a Hobbit gardener
Tolkien’s Hobbits like to start their days with a hearty breakfast, and find little more disheartening than setting off on a day’s trek on an empty stomach. There is wisdom here, of course, though there are plenty of other, healthier options than Bilbo’s favourite of eggs and bacon, and tea and hot buttered toast …
Packed with fibre, nutrients and complex carbs, a steaming bowl of porridge is the perfect way to provide your body with fuel for the day ahead. To add extra nutrition and flavour, there’s a list of Middle-earth inspired toppings for you to choose from, too.
Unlike improvised gruel made from oats and water – the kind of breakfast a weary traveller might make whilst undertaking a long journey, such as the Hobbits did – porridge made at home with full access to milk, honey, fruits, jams and nuts can be a sumptuous feast – fit for Hobbits, Dwarves and Men alike.
SERVES FOUR TO SIX
PREP AND COOK 15 MINUTES
INGREDIENTS
1 litre dairy or non-dairy milk
500ml water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
200g porridge oats
1 Put the milk, water, vanilla extract, cinnamon and salt in a large saucepan over a medium heat and bring slowly to the boil. Stir in the oats, then reduce the heat and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until creamy and tender.
2 Spoon the porridge into bowls and serve with the topping of your choice.
TOPPING OPTIONS
Beorning-style: Top with a spoon of honey, a scattering of nuts and a handful of berries
Hobbit-style: Finish with a spoonful of “Dumbledor” Blueberry and Honey Jam or Spiced Plum Jam and a dollop of cream
Dwarven-style: Scatter over chopped dried fruit and nuts
Rohan-style: Stew 2 peeled, cored and chopped apples with a little brown sugar and water and spoon over the top
Númenórean-style: Add a drizzle of maple syrup and a roughly chopped fig plus a pinch of cinnamon
Gondorian-style: Stone, slice and lightly grill a peach, and add to the porridge with a dash of cream
Make this easy-to-prep and easy-to-transport breakfast vegan by using dairy-free milk and yogurt – oat and coconut both work well. You can experiment with flavourings to suit your taste; try adding seeds and nuts, chopped apple or pear, or dried fruit.
When travelling long distances, oats and other grains are a practical food to carry with you. They last a long time if kept dry, and can quickly and easily be made into simple yet filling food. On their long journeys, Tolkien’s heroes are likely to have been equipped with some quantity of grains, especially to feed their horses and ponies.
SERVES ONE
PREP AND COOK 15 MINUTES, PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING
INGREDIENTS
50g oats
110–120ml milk
1 tablespoon natural yogurt, plus extra to serve (optional)
drizzle of honey or maple syrup
fresh fruit of choice, to serve (optional)
For the optional flavourings
¼ teaspoon cinnamon and a small handful of blueberries
small handful of raspberries and chocolate chips
½ tablespoon cocoa powder and a few cherries
½ tablespoon desiccated coconut and a few strawberries
. . .
We hope you are enjoying the book so far. To continue reading...
Please log in to recommend or discuss...
