Regional Cooking from Middle-earth: Recipes of the Third Age
Emerald is a traditional Hobbit name, since my people are originally from the North country, who traveled down into the Shire during the First Age. My history is that of a Fallohide, and a Harfoot Hobbit, since my families are from Long Cleve and from the Bywater region. Originally, Hobbit mothers and grandmothers have been naming their daughters after other relatives and mostly, flowers and precious stones as long as anyone can remember. My Took lineage is from Reginard, who had three sisters: Lily, Sage and Emerald.* The other families of the area thought the Tooks quite odd, since we loved to travel (well, more than most Hobbit families), and also enjoyed the water. Some of us even swam, (something traditional Hobbits rarely did). Today, we are mixed with the races of Man; having traveled outside the Shire again after the end of the Third Age after the War of the Ring, when King Elessar was crowned. My dear ancestor, Cousin Pip (Thain Peregrin) and his lovely wife Diamond (from Long Cleve) went into the lands of Rohan to serve under the rulership of Man from that time forward. We are spread out all over the world now, but our recipes and our family ties continue to be honored no matter where we live. The important thing we always try to remember is that we are all relations. . . one way or another. The next person I meet today is probably a distant cousin, so I always treat them like a long lost friend. This cookbook is to honor those relatives, stories, and some fables that I hope will bring some fun and genuine enjoyment to your family. With my blessings, from our home to yours. . . Sincerely, - Emerald Took *Lily, Sage and Emerald are names of my own family and creation. In Tolkien's works, he does not name the daughters, just the fact that there were some.