Here is one more Shire Kitchen Recipe!Fic Challenge entry:

ONE DAY LEFT

“Is everyone packed?” Frodo asked, staring directly at Pippin, who suddenly was very attentive to buttering his scone.

The four hobbits were enjoying a leisurely second breakfast in the kitchen of the guesthouse. Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli were already out and about, and they had the house to themselves. And since they would all be leaving Minas Tirith on the morrow, Merry and Pippin had a day free of duty.

Merry cast a sly look at Pippin. “I am.”

Pippin rolled his eyes. “Merry, you’ve been packed for two weeks, and have been living out of your travelling cases ever since.”

“Well,” said Merry, unruffled, “I know where everything is. And it’s far less trouble than rushing around.”

Frodo chuckled, and even Sam smirked. It was perfectly true. Merry certainly did not believe in waiting until the last minute.

Pippin flushed. “I’ll have you know the *important* things *are* packed. It’s only clothes and things like that left. I’ll throw them on top this evening.”

“I daresay,” replied Frodo. “Well, as you are fond of reminding us these days, you are all grown up. So we’ll say no more about it.”

“But if you forget something important, you’re not borrowing anything from me,” put in Merry firmly.

Pippin glared, and took a breath as if to make a retort.

Sam, who knew just how well-packed he and Mr. Frodo were, decided to intervene. The squabble could go on all day, if the cousins were bored. There was no real rancor in it, and they found it amusing enough, but it could get tedious to listen to.

“I thought I might do some baking, sirs,” he said, rather abruptly.

Three pairs of eyes turned his way immediately. Frodo raised a brow in amusement, but Merry and Pippin both had avid gleams in their own eyes.

“What kind of baking?” asked Frodo.

“Well, Mr. Frodo, seeing as how all the Big Folk seemed to like them gingersnaps I made for my birthday,* I thought as how I’d like to make some going-away gifts for them as has been so nice to us, up at the Citadel.”

“Why, that’s a wonderful idea, Sam!” exclaimed Frodo. He grinned. “Do you suppose they might like some of my cheese tarts?”

Pippin gave a little bounce. “Merry and I could make scones!”

“Yes! My currant scones are pretty good! Everyone always says so!” Merry’s face lit up with enthusiasm. Each of the hobbits had done his share of cooking since they had been living in the house, but for hobbits, a day of baking was a real treat. “We haven’t had a real baking-day since before we left home!”

Soon the large kitchen was bustling with activity. While Sam did the washing up from breakfast, Pippin took the rolling step ladder, and began to fetch mixing bowls and other items from the tall cupboards, and Frodo and Merry went into the larder to bring out ingredients.

“Sam!” Merry called. “There are only about a dozen and a half eggs! Is that enough?”

“It should be enough, Mr. Merry! I know Mr. Frodo needs some for the cheese tarts. But ‘t won’t leave none for tomorrow’s breakfast!”

“That’s all right, Sam,” Frodo said, “We can do without eggs at first breakfast. We’ll be gone before it’s time for second. Do you want brown flour or white?”

“Whichever we’ve the most of, Mr. Frodo! Don’t forget to bring the molasses--Mr. Pippin! Hand me down that crockery, sir! You can’t climb down with that big stack in your hands!”

Merry and Pippin stood on step stools and worked at the counters, while Frodo and Sam began to work at the small table where the hobbits ate.

Soon lovely smells began to make themselves noticed, as the hobbits chattered while they worked.

“Here’s the whisk, Frodo,” said Merry, “so what shall we do first when we get home, do you think?”

“I’d like to spend a few days at Crickhollow just resting up. But I think we are going to have to get Pippin home to Tuckborough as soon as we can.”

Pippin made a face. “No need to hurry on my account,” he said. “Here’s the buttermilk, Merry.”

Merry laughed. “You’re just hoping to avoid an encounter with Uncle Paladin.”

Frodo looked at Pippin. “You won’t avoid him, Pip, and neither shall I. I will have to go with you to explain what happened. It wouldn’t be fair for you to have trouble over coming with me.”

“Do you s’pose they got them letters we sent, Mr. Frodo?” Sam asked.

“I don’t know,” Frodo replied. “Aragorn’s messenger had several places besides the Shire to go. And they were to be sent on from Bree. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether old Butterbur ever sent them on.”

He turned a critical eye on the little tart shells he was making. “I’ve made too much pastry, I think. What do you say to us putting together a savory pie for luncheon?”

“I like the sound of that!” said Pippin. “Here, Merry, here’s the dry ingredients ready to put in! I’ll go check the larder--maybe find some sausages and onions to go in it.”

“I can’t wait to see the look on Fatty’s face when we get back. He was so set against our going into the Old Forest!”

“And rightly so, Mr. Merry,” said Sam. “Look what happened!”

“Yes. Well.” Merry stopped a moment and turned out the dough onto the counter for kneading. “At any rate, we came through everything all right, and we’re going to be home. And he didn’t expect to see any of us return, I don’t think.”

The talk stopped for a moment, as all of them briefly recalled how close that had come to being true, and then Sam said “Now! This first batch of gingersnaps Is ready to go in the oven.”

“So are the scones!” said Merry.

“The cheese tarts and the savory pie can go in when they come out,” said Frodo absently. “Oh, thanks, Pip.” He took the onions and sausages his cousin handed him.

They had elevenses nibbling on a few of the treats from the first batch of baking, and paused for a while in their work while the second batch was in the oven. The large savory pie stood in the center of the large table where the Big Folk ate, to cool.

“It’s going to be fun to tell them all we’ve seen oliphaunts!” said Pippin. “And you didn’t believe in oliphaunts, Merry!”

Frodo looked at Merry with a raised eyebrow. “Well, I never said that,” Merry mumbled.

His older cousin shook his head. “You could believe in dragons and Elves and such, but not oliphaunts?”

“I just had a hard time believing that a creature could have a tooth long enough to carve a flute from!”

The rest laughed at him. Frodo said, “Well, we shall have a party when we get back, and Folco can play his ivory flute, and Pip can play his fiddle!”

“We’re going to want one more batch of scones!” Merry had needed to smack Pippin’s hand away from eating too many of them.

“And I think I’ll make one more batch of gingersnaps,” said Sam. “I think I’ll have to go back to Hobbiton. The Gaffer is going to be ever so worrited. Marigold too, I expect.”

“And Miss Rose Cotton,” teased Pippin. “I am sure you’ll want to talk to her.”

Sam blushed.

The last batch of gingersnaps were in the oven, when Gandalf, Legolas and Gimli entered, drawn by the luscious smells wafting throughout the house.

“Aha!” said the wizard. “Did I not tell you?”

“What’s that you told them, Gandalf?” asked Frodo.

“We could smell the baking halfway down the street. I told them you hobbits had been busy!”

Merry smacked Gimli’s creeping hand with the back of a wooden spoon. “There’s plenty for us all, on that platter on the large table, *and* a savory pie for lunch! But don’t touch these, they’re gifts.”

Gimli’s eyes went wide and innocent as he sucked the back of his knuckles. Legolas laughed. “I think that you have been taking lessons from Pippin, Master Dwarf!”

After the plates were served, and the larger folk were seated at their table, and the hobbits at theirs, Gandalf turned an eagle eye upon Pippin.

“Is *everyone* packed?” he asked.
_____________________________________
*”Chance Encounter”
http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=4305

RECIPE:

SAM’S GINGERSNAPS

½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
½ TBSP. ginger
½ tsp. baking soda
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar; add eggs, then molasses, beating well. In another bowl sift together the dry ingredients, then slowly stir into the wet. Mix until the dough forms a ball. Roll out very thin on a floured surface, and cut into shapes.
Bake on greased cookie sheets for 10 to 12 minutes.