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Dreamflower's Mathoms III  by Dreamflower 185 Review(s)
Kaylee ArafinwielReviewed Chapter: 15 on 4/26/2022
Hi Dreamflower!

I was reminded of this ficlet when watching a "Tasting History With Max Miller" video on YouTube, "A Tudor Salad For May Day". I think the hobbits would have approved!

Anyway, I really enjoyed re-reading about Merry experiencing his First Salad Day, and I hope he got to enjoy many more! It's a wonderful Hobbiton tradition and makes a lot of sense considering the history of the Fell Winter. I've never yet been foraging but maybe someday!

Hope you're doing well!

Kaylee

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 33 on 10/15/2018
Hahahahahahahaha!

It was his Brandybuck cousin's look of utter loathing that gave it away.
And Frodo guessed very accurately, indeed!

What fun!

harrowcatReviewed Chapter: 33 on 8/20/2018
I didn't! I am sitting chuckling over this as I eat wild blackberries and yogurt for my lunch. Yummmm!

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 33 on 8/8/2018
It was his Brandybuck cousin's look of utter loathing that gave it away

LOL! The infamous S-Bs again.

It is quite interesting that Larner as well as you were inspired to include the S-Bs in your stories by the same prompt.

And of course, it is a shame that Merry and Pippin had to leave the berries behind!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 32 on 7/30/2018
Oh, but I have managed to miss this! I am so glad that Bungo and Belladonna came to their betrothal in such a manner. Lovely details!

LarnerReviewed Chapter: 33 on 7/30/2018
It so pleases me to know that in the end they DID go back after the berries. Yes, these two would have reason to hide from the S-Bs!

KathyGReviewed Chapter: 33 on 7/30/2018
An encounter with Lobelia and Lotho would be a face worse than thorns, all right! =)

And it's a real shame that they had to take a loss on the berries.

AndreaReviewed Chapter: 32 on 7/22/2017
A perfect moment with delicious food and the right answer :-)

A few days ago I saw a TV series where a German cook had to copy a dish (without the recipe) of Green Tomatoes from a restaurant in the USA. That was with whole slices of the tomatoes. The locals tasted it and said, it was different but quite good ;-)

Author Reply: That must have been fun to watch!

The dish you probably saw being made was "Fried Green Tomatoes", which is a well-known Southern dish. The green tomatoes are sliced, dipped either in beaten egg OR buttermilk, and then in bread crumbs OR corn meal, and fried to a crisp. They are quite delicious! Green tomatoes are naturally much more tart than the ripe ones! There is a very good American movie called "Fried Green Tomatoes" about two Southern ladies who run a diner--it's funny, but with very dark humor!

The pie in my story tastes sort of like either an apple pie or a mincemeat pie to me (depends on which spices I put in), but it still has a sort of taste all its own.

LindeleaReviewed Chapter: 32 on 7/21/2017
Awwww.

This is delightful!

I love Bungo's nerves, contemplating the Thain and his sons, and the description of the food (did Bella's mum teach her that was the way to a hobbit's stomach, I wonder), and the opening of the box. Is the necklace for betrothal JRRT, or was it your idea? I have to admit, I held my breath, wondering what it would be, as I don't recall reading anything about courtship/wedding/prenuptial (would that be the right word?) customs in the Shire.

Author Reply: Food is the way to any hobbit's heart! 8-D

JRRT never said anything about hobbit courtship so far as I know. But there are a few customs in my Shire. For example, Bucklander lads give a lass a yellow ribbon to indicate they are serious about a courtship; it's also customary to ask the parent's permission to pursue a courtship; I adopted Larner's custom of a lass giving her lad a family recipe in acknowledgement of accepting an offer of courtship (an old-fashioned one and usually only followed in some parts of the Shire). And a betrothal token can be anything--it's usually a bit of jewelry among the gentry, but the lad can offer just about anything of lasting value as such a token; among working class hobbits it is often something the lad has made with his own two hands. The only thing is that it is something she can keep through her lifetime. (One occasion when food is NOT the most acceptable gift!)

Also, in my Shire the wedding itself revolves around the Wedding Contract, and the signing of it--seven witnesses sign in red ink, as does the Bride and Groom and the Officiant (who is usually, but not always, the Family Head--sometimes it might be the Mayor or the Thain) and if either the Bride or Groom is not yet of age the father has to sign to attest his approval. The only attendants on the Bride or Groom are one lass and one lad (who is of age), who verbally witness to the fact that said Bride or Groom is of good character and has no legal obstructions to getting married.

The Wedding Contract is always nicely calligraphed and illuminated, and is kept framed upon the walls of the couple. The Groom's witness takes charge of getting it framed after the ceremony is over.

Also, in my Shire I follow JRRT's instructions about wedding gifts in his Letter #214: Wedding gifts are NEVER brought TO the wedding, and they are NEVER put on display. In my Shire, the gifts are brought to the couple privately during the week before the wedding, where the couple opens them and express their appreciation. The gifts are then put away until after the wedding is over. Over time, in my Shire, this has evolved into a superstition that it is Bad Luck to bring a gift to a wedding.

On one notable occasion, a guest actually did bring a gift to the wedding, for the deliberate purpose of expressing ill-will. (Lobelia brought a gift to Primula and Drogo's wedding. While other parts of the Shire might have believed gossip about possible murder in that boat on the Brandywine, Bucklanders remained convinced that the drowning of Frodo's parents was the direct fault of Lobelia's act of malice.)

Also, another superstition: a silver penny is put in the wedding cake. If a lass finds it, the couple's first child will be a lad or if a lad finds it, the first child will be a lass.

I'm not sure--I think that's most of the customs I've thought up. I know you've done a few weddings and courtships among your hobbits, and have shown some lovely weddings!

NolemeReviewed Chapter: 32 on 7/20/2017
Good to see an update, glad you're still writing! Cute little story, and one that made me quite hungry; good thing I'm about to make dinner, lol. Peaceful hobbit stories are very satisfying for me to read. But just so you know, I'm patiently waiting for an update of 'The Invasion' on ff net as well, and wondering where you'll take the story. ;)

Author Reply: It was fun to write this little FLF!

I'm still writing, but much of it is taken up with a co-writing project. I haven't given up on my WIPs, but they are on hiatus right now. I keep trying to get back to them.

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