Happy Hobbit Day, the day we celebrate the birthdays of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, arguably two of the most significant hobbits of Middle-earth history. And though we can’t have large gatherings and party as hobbits are wont to do, we can still celebrate from the safety of our own homes with the thing hobbits love most: food. There is an abundance of recipes to be found that are inspired by foods that appear in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium, and I’ve gathered some Tolkien inspired recipes from Pinterest here (separated into savory, sweet, and beverage categories for convenience) that can act as jumping off points to help you plan for a delicious, hobbit-approved feast.
Savory Tolkien-Inspired Recipes
What better way to start off than with one of hobbits’ much-loved foods: mushrooms! If you want to start feasting early, this mushroom toast would be a great savory breakfast option. However, as stated in the recipe, these versatile mushrooms don’t have to be limited to toast, and can be served in any number of ways at any meal.
When the dwarves visit Bilbo at the beginning of The Hobbit, they have their fill of Bilbo’s seemingly endless supply of food and drink. One of the many things they partake in are the pork pies that Bombur requests. This recipe is a take on a traditional Melton Mowbray–style pork pie.
This stew’s got plenty of herbs and root vegetables (including taters, of course!) to make for a warm and hearty meal that Samwise would approve of. And don’t worry: if rabbit is a bit outside your comfort zone or tough to find at the local supermarket, this recipe also suggests chicken as a good substitute.
Sweet Tolkien-Inspired Recipes
A quick search for lembas bread recipes will bring up A LOT of results. There are the typical shortbread interpretations, but I’ve also seen more cake-like versions, and even some savory types. The recipe I’ve linked here is one of the simplest, with just three ingredients (and that easy-to-follow graphic), but there are plenty of recipes out there to try. A fun idea for those who are particularly enthusiastic about baking could be to gather a number of different recipes and have a lembas sampling!
Bilbo’s seed cakes are another treat the dwarves enjoyed during their visit to Bag-End. The hobbit kept them stocked to have as his “after-supper morsel,” but I’m sure these would be great as a sweet breakfast with coffee, as an accompaniment with some afternoon tea, or as a quick snack at any time.
These honey cakes are modeled after the cakes Beorn gives to Bilbo and the dwarves as they make their journey to the Lonely Mountain. A full cup of honey is used in this recipe, so the cakes are sure to be extremely flavorful and energizing. While these cakes would absolutely make a great tasty treat to have at home, I imagine that—much like in the book—they’d also travel well and be great to take on a hike or any outdoor adventure as an easy snack.
This recipe is chock-full of the delicious strawberries Samwise loves and reminisces about on the slopes of Mount Doom before carrying Frodo to the top in the Peter Jackson film adaptation. I’m already excited to devour spoonfuls of these strawberries and cream between sobs during my next rewatch.
Tolkien-Inspired Beverage Recipes
Miruvor is a special Elven cordial that renews the drinker’s energy and strength. Elrond gave a supply to Gandalf as the Fellowship set off from Rivendell, and Gandalf then passed this around to the other eight members as needed during their journey. This version of the drink is made with vodka infused with jasmine and honey for some fragrance and sweetness. Please drink responsibly!
And here’s a non-alcoholic option for your Hobbit Day feast, a fragrant and invigorating Ent-draught. The Ent-draughts are mysterious drafts that provide great nourishment, and even caused Merry and Pippin—the only non-Ents to ever drink them—to grow a couple inches in height. Though this rendition of the Ent-draught, a white tea infused with fresh herbs, probably won’t help you grow taller, it’s sure to be just as refreshing as the real thing.
Many of the recipes above come from blogs that have a number of Tolkien-inspired recipes (as well as recipes inspired by other popular fiction), so be sure to check those out for even more ideas. And, much like the lembas bread, when it comes to certain dishes, there are many different variations that can be found, so feel free to try out different interpretations or experiment with your own. The possibilities are endless!
There are even a couple unofficial Lord of the Rings cookbooks out there, so if you’re really wanting to immerse yourself in some Middle-earth inspired deliciousness, check these out:
Happy eating!!