Dear Tom Bombadil,

I never got over you being left out of the Lord of the Rings movies. You’ve always been one of my favorite Fellowship characters, quite possibly because you are such an enigma. Even Tolkien himself didn’t claim to know your whole story, though I admit I favor the theory that you represent Adam before the Fall. No matter what your origin may be, you undeniably bring a refreshing touch of charm and joy to a book series that definitely has it’s share of somber moments. As such, I wanted to show my appreciation for you by giving you a place of honor in my Lord of the Rings menu.

As I read Fellowship, the dinner you shared with Frodo and friends sounded sooo wholesome and delicious: white bread, butter, herbs, yellow cream, honeycomb, and berries. I simply couldn’t resist recreating it for myself! I used a white bread recipe developed by Red Star Yeast, which produced a beautiful, soft, smooshy loaf. It paired wonderfully with basil butter, fresh blackberries, and a light drizzle of honey.

A slice of this bread is the perfect start to a wonderful culinary journey. If you ever decide to travel outside your forest and visit the land of Chicago, don’t hesitate to stop by. I’ll put the kettle on, and we’ll munch on homemade bread as you tell me all about Old Man Willow and your adventures in your beautiful forest.

Love,

Ali

P.S. I love your boots.

A

Tom Bombadil’s White Bread with Basil Butter, Honey, and Berries

“Here’ my pretty lady,” he said, bowing to the hobbits. “Here’s my Goldenberry clothed all in silver-green with flowers in her girdle! Is the table laden? I see yellow cream and honeycomb, and white bread, and butter; milk, cheese, green herbs, and ripe berries gathered.”

— The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

 

INGREDIENTS:

• For the Bread
  • 5 1/2 – 6 cups flour
  • 2 packets active dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 1/4 cups water
  • 5 tbsp butter, separated
• For the Butter
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 5 medium basil leaves
• Toppings
  • blackberries (not pictured)
  • honey for drizzling

 

Makes 2 loaves

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. 1. 1. In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add 2 1/2 cups flour, yeast, sugar, and salt. Beat on low until combined. In a large microwave safe bowl, heat the milk, water, and 3 tbsp butter for 30-45 seconds or until warm but not hot. It’s ok if the butter doesn’t melt.
      2. Add the milk mix to the flour mix, beating on low until moistened. Beat 3 minutes on medium. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour by hand to make a firm dough (I used around 3 1/4 cups).
      3. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray and place the dough inside, turning it over once to fully coat. Lightly cover with a clean kitchen cloth and allow to rest in a warm place for 20 minutes. Coat two 8×4 loaf pans with cooking spray and set aside.
         
      4. Punch down the dough. On a floured surface, cut it in half and roll each half into a 14×7 rectangle. Starting from the short end, tightly roll each rectangle into a log, pressing the dough into the roll as you turn. Pinch the edges and ends to create a seal. Place the logs in the prepared loaf pans. Lightly cover with a clean kitchen cloth and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
         
         

         Before

         

         After

      5. Preheat oven to 400°. Using a sharp knife, cut a slash lengthwise down the middle of each loaf. I recommend doing a quick cut about 1/2 inch down into the dough. The one below I did a little too slowly and wound up with a more jagged cut (not a huge deal in the end, but not quite as pretty as a clean line). I cut my second loaf faster but a little too deep. That one didn’t have the nice striations across the center portion when it baked. Melt your remaining 2 tbsp of butter and pour it into the slashes on your bread.
         
      6. Bake your loaves for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top and they sound hollow when tapped firmly on the bottom. Remove from the pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
         
      7. While the loaves cool, make your herb butter. Place your basil leaves on top of each other on a cutting board. Roll them into a tube and cut width-wise into thin strips. Place these into a small bowl with your butter and stir until combined. You can also do this the day before to give the basil flavor a chance to really permeate the butter.
         
      8. Slice your bread and top the slices with a generous schmear of herb butter. Dot them with blackberries and add a light drizzle of honey. Serve to a group of traveling hobbits after you rescue them from a rogue willow! 🙂

 

Check out my other Tolkien recipes!

Roasted Hens with Woodland Wine from The Hobbit

Beorn’s Nut Bread with Fruited Honey

Dragon Scale Madeleines from The Hobbit