Middle-Earth Feast - The History Of Lembas

In the second installment of the series we learn about the history of a very special food originating from Aman, the Blessed Realm, a continent that lay to the west of Middle-earth, across the great ocean Belegaer

The history of Lembas can be traced back to the beginning of days in Arda when the Greatest of the Valar shaped the world. Yavanna was one of them, she was also called Giver of Fruits and she was responsible for all growing things.

Lembas was made first by Yavanna from special corn that grew in Aman, and Oromë gave it to the Elves of the Great Journey that the Elves known as the Eldar took from Cuiviénen, the place of their awakening, to Valinor. Lembas was and still is very unique and magical form or nourishment  For this reason, it was an Elven custom that only women should make lembas.

Yavannildi

These Elven maidens were originally called Yavannildi and where the only ones who knew the secret of its recipe. Also, the custom requested that only an Elven Queen should keep and distribute the lembas, for this reason Yavanna was called also massánië ( The Lady bread-giver ) .

Yavanna

Today the original recipe is known only to few Elven maidens whom are allowed to handle the ingredients and bake the lembas. Originally made with corn grown in The Undying Lands , today corn grown in Rivendell and Lothlorien is used. The original corn itself was an enduring plant that needed but a little sunlight to ripen and could be sown at any season and then sprouted and grew swiftly.

The Eldar grew it in guarded lands and sunlit glades. The ears were harvested without scythe or sickle but each one was gathered by hands by the Yavannildi and the white stalks were drawn from the earth and used to weave baskets in which the grain was stored. The exact list of ingredients to make lembas is of course secret. Only on rare occasions lembas  is  given to non-Elves, because it is believed that mortals who ate it would become wary of their mortality and would desire to live among the Elves.

Lembas is often compared to Cram  but although there are similarities between the two breads, lembas is believed to be more pleasant than Cram from Dale. The dry lembas cakes are very nutritious, stay fresh for months when wrapped in leaves, and are used for sustenance on long journeys. Lembas has a brownish color on the outside and a cream color on the inside. Like other products or artifacts of the Elves, lembas is offensive to evil creatures - orcs, goblins and the like of it will refuse to touch or eat the Elven bread.

The word Lembas is Sindarin and derived from the older lenn-mbass which means "journey-bread". As a rough translation of this term  in common speech it is also often called Waybread. The Quenya word for lembas is coimas which means life-bread.

Although the original Elven recipie is a well guarded secret, it is possible to bake something very similar to lembas . Here are some important facts about lembas that is worth mentioning :

• They contain honey
• They are cream-colored on the inside with a light brown outer crust
• They are thin and regular-shaped (triangular or rectangular).
• They are hearty and healthy.
• They contain the "fruit of the Mallorn Tree" -described as a nut with a silver shale. 

HOME-MADE LEMBAS RECIPIE : 

1 3/4 cups of whole wheat pastry flour 
1 3/4 cups of white flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
8 Tablespoons cold butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla 
1/3 cup honey 
3/4 cup milk 
1 Tablespoon grated orange peel
1/4 cup nuts (walnuts, almonds, peanuts) finally grounded 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.Chop butter into mixture with a pastry cutter or knead in with your fingers until you get a crumbly mixture. Add sugar, vanilla, honey,orange peel, and ground nuts, and mix. Add milk. Stir with a fork or knead with hands until dough forms. Roll the dough out about 1/2 inch thick. Cut out 2-3 inch squares and transfer to a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Criss-cross each square from corner to corner with a knife. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and lightly golden. This recipe will makes 20 to 25 cakes.

Lembas bread is shrouded in mystery and Elven magic and is a well-kept secret of the elves, and if Legolas is to be believed, "one small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man."  and this is probably why a hobbit could easily eat four before his belly is full. 

Article by Amorey - Laurelin Archives Webteam

Images Credits :
Telperion and Laurelin by MrSvein872   - The Four Seasons by Alphonse Mucha- Pre raphaelite portrait  by N.Preston 1902 - Lembas by Sara Biddle