Chris-Rachael Oseland, author of An Unexpected Cookbook: The Unofficial Book of Hobbit Cookery, has taken on the challenge of posting a video a day for a week. For everyday this week the videos will be about each of the hobbit meals: breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper. A perfect fit, right? Even if you already own her amazing cookbook, you’ll definitely want to watch her videos because she’ll be discussing things she wasn’t able to include in the book.
On Monday Chris-Rachael posted the first video in this hobbit series which is all about breakfast. She goes into great detail about what Tolkien was influenced by and gives insight into how people cooked back in the late Victorian era. It’s absolutely fascinating to find out how much of Tolkien’s life was incorporated into the hobbit lifestyle.
Today she released the video for the second breakfast (I hope you read that in Pippin’s voice). She talks about the Victorian equivalent of pop tarts! How have you always imagined second breakfast to be like? Chris-Rachael’s says, “I don’t know about you, but the idea of eating two identical meals one after another sounds pretty boring. Instead of picturing Second Breakfast as another plate of bacon and eggs, I’ve always pictured it as the perfect meal for a small adventure – something sturdy you can throw in your pack for a quick bite while you sneak over the hedgerows.”
Her enthusiasm for the subject makes these videos so enjoyable to watch and no doubt each one will be just as good! Check back on her site throughout the week to watch all of her videos on hobbit meals.
If you want to cook one of Chris-Rachael’s yummy recipes, here are ones for each meal:
Breakfast – Poached Pears Stuffed with Frumenty
Second Breakfast – Beef and Mushroom Stuffed Hand Pies
Elevenses – Shire Seed Cake
Luncheon – Stewed Hare with Root Vegetables and Dumplings
Afternoon Tea – Shortbread
Supper – Stuffed Roasted Mushrooms
Dinner – Boxty on the Griddle with Bacon
To find out more about Chris-Rachael’s cookbook, read our interview with her here.
Purchase An Unexpected Cookbook from Amazon and click here to see all of her other books for sale.
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