Happy Downfall of Sauron Day, 2023

[labingi]

Happy Downfall of Sauron Day! This is the 43rd anniversary in the great crossover 'verse in my head. I'm quite sure it's also the first DS Day I have experienced on which it has snowed, yes, snow in Portland, March 25. This year I'm missing my trip to California, which is usually a DS Day ritual. This leaves me feeling a bit disconnected and slightly incoherent.

One thing of recent Tolkien interest to me was watching a YouTube compilation of his video interviews, in which, among other things, he asserted that for daily purposes, English food was the best. This stuck with me because it's not very often one hears that. I have been thinking of Tolkien recently, though, while pondering local food movements. I think local cuisine for a temperate region would be very much like he describes the hobbits eating. Imagine no sugar, coffee, or chocolate, yet hobbits manage to feast just fine. Gives us all hope.

Comments

[whitebird]

I'm not sure English food is the best, but I will say I seldom eat things with sugar, or drink coffee, or eat chocolate. I actually like chocolate, but never have the urge to eat it.

(Italian may be my comfort food of choice.)

[labingi]

I am in awe that you can largely avoid sugar; it's piled into so many prepared foods, like spaghetti sauce and just about every canned soup. I'm really trying to cut down by cooking more from scratch (not much success yet).

[greenwoodside]

You know, all I can clearly remember of Hobbit food are Farmer Maggot's mushrooms And I do like big field mushrooms baked in an oven – though I wrap them in foil along with soy sauce and garlic. More Shire-like condiments would perhaps be salt, brown beer and sage perhaps with a little onion...

But I know that the Long-Awaited Party must have had some more details about what was being consumed (beyond: a lot) and of course there's Sam with his taters and his rabbit stew later on.

'English food is the best' – not so mind-boggling, since English food can be lovely. But I can't imagine that Tolkien had a very wide experience of different cuisines – English, plus French in restaurants and I assume also during the war, and Swiss during his holiday in the Alps.

[labingi]

Sorry for my late reply! I think Tolkien was, indeed, principally comparing English food to French food in the interview. Yes, mushrooms! Your recipe sounds great.