I decided to have a birthday party this year – not something I’ve done in a while!  And of course it had to be a hobbit party, because of the movie coming out just now.  We went to see the movie first, and then came back home for a white-elephant gift swap and cake.  (The gift swap was hilarious:  I think the best item  was an old hardcover copy of Star Wars novel which seemed to be focused on Princess Leia’s romantic life.  There was also a moose cookie cutter and goodness knows what else.)

But of course I had to think about the food, since Hobbits take food (and parties) pretty seriously.  The internet was full of suggestions for hobbit-themed parties, and most of the suggestions were pretty weak:  just “have a lot of food,” or do a traditional English high tea, or make cupcakes that look like Gandolf with frosting beards, etc.  Not actual hobbit food at all.  Happily, one website did point out that when the dwarves arrive at the beginning of the story they’re pretty specific about what they want to eat!

“Now we are all here!” said Gandalf, looking at the row of thirteen hoods-the best detachable party hoods-and his own hat hanging on the pegs. “Quite a merry gathering!

I hope there is something left for the late-comers to eat and drink! What’s that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think, for me.” “And for me,” said Thorin. “And raspberry jam and apple-tart,” said Bifur. “And mince-pies and cheese,” said Bofur. “And pork-pie and salad,” said Bombur. “And more cakes-and ale-and coffee, if you don’t mind,” called the other dwarves through the door.

“Put on a few eggs, there’s a good fellow!” Gandalf called after him, as

the hobbit stumped off to the pantries. “And just bring out the cold chicken and pickles!”

So there was tea and wine and beer and coffee.  And raspberry tarts and apple tarts.  I made an old-fashioned seed cake, which is basically pound cake with carraway seeds in it – very easy -  and attempted a pork-pie, which needs a little work.  Cheese, salad.  Mince pie is easy enough if you can get a jar of mincemeat, which is traditional for Christmas in the north but seems hard to get here in south.  It’s not meat.  Anyway, I tried making a savory pie with root vegetables and dried fruits, and it came out quite tasty though I think people found it slightly odd.  And we had “more cake” and cold chicken and pickles.  No way I was going to “put on eggs” during  a party, so we just had deviled eggs along with the assorted pickles.And hedgehogs!  It’s one of my favorite medieval recipes and it seemed like an appropriate addition.  Basically, they’re meatballs, shaped a little pointy on one end to look like a little hedgehog and stuck all over with slivered-almond “spines.”

And I did not take any pictures of any of these things at all.  But at some point, I’ll go back and post proper recipes and photos.

It was a lovely party.