A Hobbit Celebration

Happy Birthday to Bilbo and Frodo Baggins! Tomorrow is their birthdays and to celebrate the day, let’s be a hobbit for a day and celebrate the Shire.

Invite some friends. But one key thing to note – hobbits do not get birthday gifts. Instead, they give their friends and family small gifts in thanksgiving and in recognition to service and kinship.

What do Hobbits Eat?

Hobbits love their food – and they take it very seriously. They don’t eat three meals a day, they eat seven! And here they are:

• 7:30am – Breakfast
• 9:30am – Second breakfast
• 11am – Elevenses
• 1pm – Luncheon
• 2:30pm – Afternoon tea
• 5:30pm – Dinner
• 9pm – Supper

That’s a lot of meals!! So what do they eat for each meal? Their fare is simple – not fancy or with heavy sauces, but lot of herbs and a bit of salt. That’s it.

Breakfast

Always include a variety of pastries and breads with plenty of cheese and jams! First breakfast is the time to load up on the carbs. Here are a few ideas for the main course of a hobbit breakfast:

• Tea and scones with strawberries and cream
• French toast with berries – Strawberry French Toast Casserole
• Honey Cakes
• A plate of meats and cheese with breads and rolls and jams and jellies. The bigger the selection the better!

Second Breakfast

Second breakfast is Bilbo’s favorite meal. While it always includes fresh bread and jams and a rasher of bacon (because you can never go wrong with bacon), it’s heavy on the protein.

• French toast with a good side of sausage
• Boiled eggs
• Quiche with mushrooms and cheese
• Wild Mushroom omelet
• Cold meats and cheese

You would think a hobbit would be satiated by now. But they get so hungry, an elevenses is required.

Elevenses

This meal is a mid-morning tea designed to curb a hobbit’s hunger until the next meal. What do they eat at these teas? Well some tea and coffee, of course, as well as some easy to eat pastries – two or three choices would be fine.

• Muffins – hobbits love berries. A blueberry oatmeal muffin is perfect!
• Bread pudding
• Strawberry shortcake (Hobbits love strawberries!)
• Tea cakes
• Scones with clotted cream – try these cranberry orange scones
• Savory scones, like Bacon and Cheddar Scones

Luncheon

The hobbit lunch is hearty and warm. Below are some ideas for that dish, but be sure to have a rich bread and some ale to finish of the meal.

• Fish and chips
• Shepherd’s Pie
• Scotch Eggs – one of my favorites!

Afternoon Tea

This is a social meal. This is when the hobbits carry on about what their neighbors are doing and who has taken an adventure (frowned upon by the elders).  This must be served with tea and sweets.

• Blackberry tarts
• Cookies, like lavender shortbread
• Berry Crisp or cobbler

And then moving on to dinner …

Dinner

The largest meal of the day, dinner must include breads with cold meats and cheese and tall mugs of dark beer. Here are some main course ideas –

• Meat pies – chicken pot pie
• Cheddar soup, with leeks and bacon and beer!
• Roast beef and vegetables
• Steak and potatoes
• Rabbit stew

And nope – they aren’t finished yet! Are you full? Are you ready for more?

Supper

Ahhh. The last meal of the day. Supper has to keep the hobbit until the next morning. A platter of cold meats and cheeses and some fresh breads and cold butter, are served with a main course – and of course, a large mug of ale.

• Hot Soups – hearty soup, like this beef and bean soup with bacon
• Roasted Chicken
• Salad with hard boiled eggs and cheese

And then, after another mug of ale, it’s off to bed to rest up for the next day. A hobbit’s life is quite busy.

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