The Hobbit; An Unexpected Party Menu and Recipes | InLiterature (2024)

Featured | J.R.R. Tolkien | Parties | The Hobbit

For fans of the Hobbit, Lord of the Rings or J.R.R. Tolkien, celebrating Hobbit Day on September 22 is a must. Known for their love of food and good hospitality, the truest way to honour a Hobbit is by providing good food for your guests (and enough of it!)

This is the hub for all the recipes seen served at Bilbo Baggins’ during the Unexpected Party. The recipes are well-researched from historical British cookbooks, so you know you’re recreating a Hobbit experience for your guests.

Missed Hobbit Day? You can also use the following menu when holding a Hobbit movie marathon, hosting a Hobbit games night, throwing a Hobbit themed birthday, or celebrating J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday [January 3] or April 25-26, when fans estimate this Unexpected Party took place, marking the beginning of the quest.

Here we go, into Bilbo’s pantry!

Hobbit Dates to Celebrate

January 3 [J.R.R. Tolkien’s birthday]
April 25-26 [Estimated date of the Unexpected Party]
September 22 [ Hobbit Day]

HOBBITS ARE KNOWN FOR THEIR LOVE OF GOOD HEARTYFOOD AND DRINK.
SO WHAT DO YOU SERVE WHEN YOU DECIDE TO HOST A HOBBIT-INSPIRED PARTY?

Fill out your pantry with authentic food with the six recipes straight from Bilbo Baggins’ pantry, including:

  • 1800’s English seed cake
  • Authentic Melton Mowbray pork pies
  • Tips for perfect fluffy buttered scones every time
  • PLUS a shopping list and scheduling tips for prepping recipes in advance
  • AND menu shortcuts for that last-minute party!

this recipe

After all, a good hospitable Hobbit will have their pantry stocked, and ready for any unexpected guests.

Download recipes from Bilbo’s pantry

“Now we are all here!” said Gandalf, looking at the row ofthirteen hoods- the best detachable party hoods- and his own hat hanging on thepegs. “Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the latecomers to eat anddrink!”

The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien

THE COMPLETE HOBBIT UNEXPECTED PARTY MENU

  • Seed cake
  • Pork pies
  • Mince pies
  • Apple tart and raspberry jam
  • Butter scones
  • Eggs
  • Cold chicken
  • Pickles
  • Cakes
  • Tea
  • Ale
  • Porter
  • Coffee
  • Red wine
Seed Cake

‘A little beer would suit me better, if it is all the sameto you, my good sir,” said Balin with the white beard. “But I don’t mind somecake – seed-cake, if you have any.”
“Lots!” Bilbo found himself answering, to his surprise; andhe found himself scuttling off, too, to the cellar to fill a pint beer-mug, andthen to a pantry to fetch two beautiful round seed-cakes which he had bakedthat afternoon for his after-supper morsel.
“And more cakes- and ale- and coffee, if you don’t mind,” called the other dwarves through the door.

APPLE TART AND RASPBERRY JAM

“And raspberry jam and apple tart,” said Bifur.

Bake Your Way Through The Unexpected Party Menu

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Melton Mowbray Style Pork Pies | The Hobbit | An Unexpected Party

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The Hobbit; An Unexpected Party; Mince Pies

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Apple Tart and Raspberry Jam | The Hobbit

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Seed Cake | The Hobbit; An Unexpected Party

Making Hobbit Recipes in Advance

Planning your Hobbit party several weeks out? Here are my tips for making the prep work smoother, making your party more enjoyable for you!

Several weeks before

  • Mix together your mince pie filling and store in the fridge until ready for use.

1-2 weeks before

  • Make the apple tart pie dough and mince pie dough a week or two in advance and freeze.

2 days before the party

  • If not wanting to freeze your apple tart pie dough, make a few days in advance, cover and keep chilled in the fridge.
  • Mince pies can be made and stored in an airtight container.
  • Make the pork pie dough and jellied stock and keep chilled in the fridge.

Day before

  • Bake your apple tart.
  • Toss together the salad, cover and keep chilled in the fridge.
  • Cook pork pies and store in the fridge.
  • Mix together scone dough the night before and chill in the fridge.

Day of

  • Bake seed cake first thing in the morning.
  • Scones are best served hot out of the oven, so leave till last, baking them 1/2-1 hour before guests arrive.
  • Bring the pork pies out half an hour before serving.
Eggs, Chicken, Pickles

“Put on a few eggs, there’s a good fellow!” Gandalf calledafter him, as the hobbit stumped off to the pantries. “And just bring out thecold chicken and pickles!”

Beverages

“Come along in, and have some tea!” he managed to say aftertaking a deep breath.

Already it had almost become a throng. Some called for ale,and some for porter, and one for coffee, and all of them for cakes; so thehobbit was kept very busy for a while.

“Quite a merry gathering! I hope there is something left for the latecomers to eat anddrink! What’s that? Tea! No thank you! A little red wine, I think for me.”

Last Minute Hobbit Party Menu Shortcuts

Left your Hobbit Party planning to last minute? No stress! Here are some tips if you’re wanting to make some last minute recipes:

  • Make fewer baked goods. It’s better to enjoy one or two Hobbit treats than stress over trying to make everything last minute!
  • While fresh ingredients can’t compare, if making from scratch:
  • Mince pie mixture can typically be purchased in the baking section
  • Pie crusts can be store-bought. Or just buy a store-bought apple tart and mince pies!
  • Premixed salad can be tossed into a bowl before serving.
  • Check the grocery store’s freezer section for frozen pork pies that you can pop into the oven for your guests.
  • Many grocery stores precook chickens you can pick up on the day of your party.

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  1. Very nice!

    Reply

  2. WoW!!! Wonderful idea! I love it! 🙂

    Reply

  3. Bryton; your imagination is so vivid

    Reply

  4. I absolutely LOVE these posts! Especially this Hobbit one, I’ll have to do this for next year’s Hobbit day! Out of curiosity, have you thought about trying to create elven dishes (lembas bread?) or do anything from Redwall?

    Reply

    1. I tried making lembas bread this year but my recipe failed (not everything goes right the first time!) I’ll make them again next year. As for Redwall, I’ve actually just bought the book to read on my holidays- haven’t read it before! So hopefully there will be something inspirational enough to make 🙂

      Reply

  5. This is so inspirational! We are planning a party soon to celebrate our love of movies and some of your recipes will for sure grace the menu.

    Reply

    1. How fantastic! I’m sure your party will be brilliant 🙂

      Reply

  6. What a wonderful work! Thanks for make it real♡♡♡

    Reply

  7. where did you get the beautiful tankards from?

    Reply

    1. Found them at op-shops and garage sales. I’m sure they could be found on sites like eBay etc?

      Reply

Leave a Reply

The Hobbit; An Unexpected Party Menu and Recipes | InLiterature (2024)

FAQs

The Hobbit; An Unexpected Party Menu and Recipes | InLiterature? ›

Luncheon Marks the Hobbits' Midday Meal

The Fellowship of the Ring mentions shepherd's pie being served at Bilbo's birthday party, while Bilbo himself served pork pie, mince pie, cold chicken, eggs, cheese, salad, apple tarts and various cakes when he entertained the Dwarves at the beginning of The Hobbit.

What food is mentioned in The Hobbit book? ›

Luncheon Marks the Hobbits' Midday Meal

The Fellowship of the Ring mentions shepherd's pie being served at Bilbo's birthday party, while Bilbo himself served pork pie, mince pie, cold chicken, eggs, cheese, salad, apple tarts and various cakes when he entertained the Dwarves at the beginning of The Hobbit.

What fictional creatures eat 7 meals a day including second breakfast and elevenses? ›

Hobbit Meal Times

If you want to dine like a hobbit, these are the names and meal times of each feast: Breakfast - 7 a.m. Second Breakfast - 9 a.m. Elevenses - 11 a.m.

What food is in The Hobbit movie? ›

Hobbits are big on the meat, potatoes, cheese, bread, pickled things, apples, berries, and tea. Oh and ales. Plenty of that was poured during the movie marathon as well. Let's get down to the specifics…

Why is food important in The Hobbit? ›

Many of the scenes featuring food are intended to lift the mood, and do so successfully; yet Tolkien also uses them to indicate many other things: the history of the place, the level of development reached, the status of a person (and the dwelling) and any relationship dynamics which are important to highlight; this is ...

What did Stephen Fry eat in The Hobbit? ›

'The Hobbit': Stephen Fry Ate testicl*s As Master Of Laketown (VIDEO)

What does Bilbo eat in Chapter 6? ›

Bilbo says that he is hungry, and the eagles bring the group hares, rabbits, and sheep to eat. Bilbo is too tired to help the dwarves prepare the food, but he eats it, and falls asleep. In his dreams, he walks through his home looking for something whose appearance or identity he can't remember.

What is a hobbit's favorite food? ›

They've mastered the art of baking; seed-cakes, fruit tarts, scones, and pies are all favourite hobbit fare. All of the foods mentioned above could be—and likely are—grown, cultivated, collected, and baked in the Shire.

Did humans eat once a day? ›

Looking back through history, breakfast was not a common meal for most people. Our ancestors typically ate one substantial meal each day, supplemented with nuts and fruits as snacks. Eating when hungry was an intuitive approach to mealtime.

Did ancient humans eat 3 meals a day? ›

In ancient times, people usually ate one daily meal that was considered unique and abundant to any other time for eating. For example, the ancient Romans consumed only one meal around midday, considering it a healthy choice and the only one able to guarantee good digestion.

What is the elf food in Hobbit? ›

Lembas, also called Elven bread or Waybread in the Common Speech, was a special travel-food made by the Elves.

What food did Tolkien like? ›

He once wrote of himself, “I am in fact a 'Hobbit' (in all but size). I like gardens, trees and unmechanized farmlands; I smoke a pipe, and like good plain food (unrefrigerated), but detest French cooking...”, The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien, Humphrey Carpenter, J. R. R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien, eds.

What do Elves eat in The Hobbit? ›

But 'food made from animals' is right up there as well. We also have words for domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, etc., and barn fowl and chickens, so it makes sense to assume Elves ate all of those. And preserved, salt meat, too, in case you thought they kept all that livestock just for fun.

What is the moral message of The Hobbit? ›

The most prominent theme in The Hobbit is bravery, and the transformation of Bilbo Baggins from a timid homebody living quietly in his hobbit hole in the Shire to the brave hero at the center of a dangerous adventure. It was an act of bravery for Bilbo to simply leave the comfort of his home in the first place.

What was the bread the Hobbits ate? ›

Lembas bread, the magical Elven food, sustains the Fellowship on their arduous journey. Here's what Tolkien tells us about lembas: "the food was mostly in the form of very thin cakes, made of meal that was baked a light brown on the outside, and inside was the colour of cream."

Why can't Gollum eat hobbit food? ›

Gollum prefers to eat meat raw, and refuses to eat anything Elvish because it apparently burns him to the touch.

What does Gollum eat in The Hobbit book? ›

Gollum is a slimy creature that lives in complete darkness in the caves of the Misty Mountains. He scrounges around for food and eats dead fish, parts of goblins, and any other live being that he can find. He resembles a humanoid, but he is hunched over and often uses all four limbs to get around.

What food is mentioned in Lord of the Rings? ›

There issome food and actually quite a lot of drink in the story, but not consistently. Bread, cheese, fruit, smoked or salted pork, honey, milk, wine and beer are the most frequently mentioned fare, simple items plausible in both a medieval and a modern setting.

What is the elf food in hobbit? ›

Lembas, also called Elven bread or Waybread in the Common Speech, was a special travel-food made by the Elves.

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