“regular meals, plenty and often”
“Don’t be a fool, Bilbo Baggins!” he said to himself, “thinking of dragons and all that outlandish nonsense at your age!”. So he put on an apron, lit fires, boiled water, and washed up. Then he had a nice little breakfast in the kitchen before turning out the dining-room. By that time the sun was shining; and the front door was open, letting in a warm spring breeze. Bilbo began to whistle loudly and to gorget about the night before. In fact he was just sitting down to a nice little second breakfast in the dining-room by the open window, when in walked Gandalf”
Bilbo Baggins could have been a caterer. Only he could rustle up a home-baked tea (seed cake and beer) for 12 dwarves and a wizard at short notice for the ‘unexpected party’. In the Lord of the Rings, Bilbo’s eleventy eleventh birthday was an incredible feast, starting at elevenses and going on all day until six thirty when Gandalfs’ fireworks started.
I grew up on The Hobbit and LOTR. My dad read the books to me every night while I was in my mother’s womb and later, he reread them, with all the voices, around the fireside on holiday.
I’m celebrating the film of The Hobbit which will come out in December by hosting two meals: elevenses and High Tea. Away with that American invention brunch, we will feast on something very British, elevenses. It will take place in the shire of Highgate in a cosy wood fired yurt where you can warm your furry feet. Feel free to dress up, blow smoke rings from your pipes and enjoy a hearty Middle Earth inspired feast.
We will be eating lembas, the elven bread, honey cake, mince pies, apple pie, pickles, cheeses, scones, home-made raspberry jam; we will be drinking coffee, tea, mead, ale, cider and Ent draughts.
Tickets available here, places are limited to 12:
Elevenses £30
Supper £40
Drink will be available to buy.
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