Lord of the Rings Marathon: The ([Extremely Rough] Draft) Menu

I'm finding it very hard to contain myself. Ten bucks says I run out of steam on this, like, a month before it happens. But that's okay, because I'll probably pick it back up a week or two before the actual event.

I've rifled through several cookbooks for inspiration. I've researched British cheeses. I've researched what sorts of nuts are indigenous (or at least have been cultivated in Britain for a long enough time to be suitable). I've rejected some ideas (trifles, treacle, possibly even steamed puddings) as too modern or simply not hobbity enough.

I'm torn on Lancashire hotpot, which may seem too modern because it's a casserole, but is full of yummy baked meatiness and topped with potatoes and just says "hobbit" to me. Apparently it dates back to at least the 19th century, which puts it in the correct time frame, though Lancashire is quite a bit north of Warwickshire, the inspiration for the hobbity lifestyle. But then I'm also likely to serve Cock-a-Leeky soup, which is Scottish and therefore even more northerly.

I'm going to be leaving the lamb's kidneys out of the hotpot, though, because we're dealing with an American audience here. I don't think any of my guests will be huge fans of organ meat. Matt thinks I should rename it "Shire Hotpot," and maybe I should.

Today I drew up a very rough potential menu as a starting point:


FIRST BREAKFAST
fried eggs
bacon
sausage
bread & butter & jams or marmalade
tea & coffee
(sausage stuffed shrooms?)


SECOND BREAKFAST
apple cinnamon oatmeal (absolutely killer)
spiced nuts
(shrooms?)


ELEVENSES
lembas?


LUNCH
cock-a-leeky soup
cold ham and chicken
hazelnuts
pickles/cheese/fruits
bread & butter


AFTERNOON TEA
seed cake
apple salad? brandied apples?
tea breads


DINNER
coneys?

stuffed mushrooms here (chestnut)?
asparagus/julienned carrots?

SUPPER
Lancashire hot pot?

carrots/leeks/shrooms

DESSERT
pies - mince, blackberry
sugared chestnuts
shortbread


AND SO NOW... Let the recipe testing begin.