Today in Middle-earth, January 15
- The Bridge of Khazad-dûm, and the fall of Gandalf (1419)
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The Company reaches Nimrodel late at night (1419)
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
Category: Fans
We’re thrilled to announce a new partnership between TheOneRing.net and the amazing folks at Signum Studios; and to let you know about an imminent project which you can support! Here’s our official press release:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2025
TheOneRing.net Partners with Signum Studios to Bring Deep-Dive Fan Content to Audiences Worldwide
For 25 years, TheOneRing.net has been a beacon for Tolkien fans — celebrating the Professor’s works with authenticity, community spirit, and a passion for well-researched stories. Today, we’re delighted to announce a new partnership with Signum Studios, known for producing in-depth, academically informed content that resonates with dedicated fandoms everywhere.
“We’re thrilled to join forces with Signum Studios,” says Chris Pirrotta, Co-Owner of TheOneRing.net. “Both of our teams share a commitment to creating thoughtful, inspiring projects that honor Tolkien’s vision and bring fans closer together. We can’t wait to see where this journey leads.”
Corey Olsen, President of Signum University (of which Signum Studios is the production branch), says, “Signum University has always admired the passion of the TORn community, and we are tremendously excited by what lies ahead!”
A Deep Dive Into Middle-earth: Rings & Realms: The War of the Rohirrim
A project that celebrates just this type of collaboration is a Kickstarter campaign for “Rings & Realms: The War of the Rohirrim.” This documentary-style production channels the beloved “appendices” spirit by exploring the anime feature film about Helm Hammerhand and the origins of Helm’s Deep. This documentary is helmed (pun intended!) by the creative minds at Signum Studios — including Dr. Corey Olsen (widely known as “The Tolkien Professor”) and Dr. Maggie Parke (Studio Director and adaptation specialist) — and will also feature TheOneRing.net’s own greendragon (Kirsten Cairns) as part of the team.
• Thoughtful Exploration: The Rings & Realms crew merges scholarly insights with fan-oriented storytelling, aiming to offer a deeper understanding of Tolkien’s lore.
• Community Engagement: Backers gain behind-the-scenes access, Q&A sessions, and even set visits — keeping our vibrant fan community at the heart every step of the way.
• Authentic Fan Spirit: True to TORn’s legacy, this project will invite fans to explore Middle-earth in a welcoming, celebratory way.
By supporting Rings & Realms, you’ll help us continue our mission of bringing richly researched, entertaining Tolkien content to audiences around the globe. Whether you’re a long-time TORn community member or new to TheOneRing.net, we invite you to be part of this exciting new venture.
How You Can Support
Visit our Kickstarter page to learn more about Rings & Realms: The War of the Rohirrim, pledge your support, and explore the rewards we’ve lined up for you. But hurry! The Kickstarter campaign closes at 7pm ET on Monday 13th January. With your help, we can continue celebrating Tolkien’s world — together.
About TheOneRing.net
Since 1999, TheOneRing.net has been a welcoming home for Tolkien fans, uniting a global community that embraces the spirit of exploration, discussion, and fellowship inspired by J.R.R. Tolkien’s works.
About Signum Studios
Signum Studios specializes in fan-focused, academically grounded media productions. Their goal is to bring beloved fictional worlds to life through engaging storytelling and thorough research — offering a fresh perspective for fans everywhere.
The following event(s) took place in Middle-earth on December 25th:
- The Fellowship of the Ring leaves Rivendell at dusk (1418 )
- [Join us on the Discussion Boards here]
Are the prices at the Shire market making you worry that you can’t afford ingredients for Yuletide fare? Then let Kili show you how to make a holiday baking staple, candied citrus peel, using just 4 common ingredients and your own stovetop! Watch the episode.
Candied Citrus Peel
Ingredients:
- 3 lemons
- 2 oranges
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 cup (200 grams) sugar
Instructions:
- Wash the lemons and oranges.
- Cut the fruit in half, then in quarters. Remove the flesh and set aside for another use. Carefully peel off the rind using either a knife or a vegetable peeler.
- Cut the peels into 1/4 inch thick strips.
- Place the peels in a non-reactive pot and cover with water. Add a teaspoon of salt and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness.
- Drain the peels and rinse out the pot. Repeat the process with fresh water and the second teaspoon of salt.
- Drain the peels and rinse the pot. Return the peels to the pot, cover with water, and add the cup of sugar.
- Simmer for about an hour, stirring on occasion, checking the peels. Once they’re soft and translucent, they’re finished. Drain the peels again.
- Separate the peels onto a plate and allow them to dry overnight.
- Separate the peels by fruit and place in airtight containers. They should keep in the refrigerator for at least a month.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since joining TheOneRing.net in 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 Be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and check back here at TheOneRing.net so that you don’t miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
This unique fruit from the east may be a mystery to many a hobbit, but not this one! Join Kili as she shows you how to get many jars of preserves out of an armload of quince fruit – perfect for enjoying all winter long in your own hobbit hole, or for gifting! Be sure to check your local markets for the last of this (somewhat rare) seasonal fruit, or ask your fellow Shirelings if they have any growing. Many folk don’t know how to prepare quince and thus are happy to give it away to those who do. Free food is something every hobbit likes to hear! The preserves taste like a combination of apple and pear with a hint of rose, and, of course, a blush of sweetness. Watch the episode.
Quince Jelly and Paste
Ingredients:
- Quince
- Sugar
- Optional: Citric acid – I like to add it because it preserves the beautiful red color, the taste, and the freshness of this yellow fruit
Quince Jelly Instructions:
- If your quince have a bit of fuzz or pelt, rub it off with a towel.
- With a very sharp knife, cut the quince into quarters. If you are only interested in making quince jelly, you will not need to core them! Coring them because it makes it a bit easier to then make quince jam.
- If your quince are very big, you can cut the quarters in half again.
- Place fruit pieces into a large pot.
- Add just enough water to cover the quince.
- Over high heat, bring the quince to a boil until they are soft but not mushy. Take the pot off the heat.
- Let the pot with the quince stand for a few hours – I forgot to mention this part in the video, but it’s an important step as it helps the pectin begin to do its thing.
- Line a colander with cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Put the quince and their cooking liquid into the colander and let them drain overnight into a large bowl or basin.
- The next day, weigh the strained liquid (be sure to tare the scale so that you don’t count the weight of the bowl).
- Weigh the sugar, which should be 75% of the quince juice in weight. I made it a loose guess.
- Add both to a large sauce pot with about ¼ tsp of citric acid.
- Bring the jelly mixture to a rolling boil and keep boiling until the juice turns red and reaches the set point. You can test that with the gel test on a small plate or using a metal spoon as I showed in the video.
- Pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars, wipe the rims, and close them with a lid.
- Carefully drop the jars into a pot of boiling water with an inch of water covering them. Allow them to boil for 10 mins, then remove to a dishtowel to cool. They will be hot!
- Let them rest for a day, then test their seals (the button on top of the can should be sucked in and not making a clicking sound). At this point, they are safe to be labeled and stored. Remember to keep the metal rings loose – that way you can accurately check the seal on the jar up to 18 months later when you are inspecting them for freshness and food safety. Store in your hobbit larder or give as gifts!
Note: If you do not wish to can your preserves, you can store them in the refrigerator. This is a great option if you have a smaller amount than what I was working with!
Quince Paste Instructions:
- Transfer the drained fruit to a fine mesh strainer and pass the cooked quinces through the strainer with the back of a spoon or a big wooden tamper.
- Alternatively, you can mash the fruit with a potato masher or in a food processor (if you have cored the quince).
- Weigh your quince mass (again, be sure to tare the scale to not include the weight of the bowl), then measure out roughly 2/3 of the total weight in sugar and add it to the quince mash.
- Add the mashed fruit to a large saucepan. Over low heat, bring to a boil while constantly stirring until the sugar is dissolved.
- Continue boiling the fruit mass until it turns red – this may take a half hour or so.
- Spoon into sanitized jars and follow the water bath canning method described above, or store in your refrigerator.
If you are interested in making the quince candy, then please refer to Our Gabled Home, from whom I learned this recipe.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since joining TheOneRing.net in 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday. Be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and check back here at TheOneRing.net so that you don’t miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.
Want to impress your fellow hobbits or other denizens of Arda by bringing a dazzling, unique side to your next feast? Then look no further than this delicious and colorful recipe! Join Kili as she shows you how she turned some purple carrots from her hobbit garden into a scrumptious dish… and discovers something spooky about the carrots along the way! Watch the episode.
Quick Pickled Carrots
Ingredients:
- About 1 lb of carrots, tops removed, peeled if needed, sliced into rounds or sticks
- A diced onion (I used purple to keep on theme!)
- 1 cup of water
- 2/3 – 1 cup distilled white or apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sea salt
- 1 Tbsp organic cane sugar (or stevia to taste)
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2-6 cloves of peeled garlic
- Sprigs of fresh dill
Instructions:
- Parboil carrots for a few minutes just to soften them. Drain and set aside.
- Dice up the onion.
- Add carrots to a large mason jar or glass container. Set aside.
- To a small saucepan, add distilled white (or apple cider) vinegar, water, salt, and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and stir to fully dissolve salt and sugar and solids. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more salt or sugar to taste.
- Add the celery, mustard, and coriander seeds to the jar. Add the peeled garlic and the fresh dill.
- Stuff the carrots and onions into the jar.
- Pour the brine over the carrots, ensuring they are fully submerged. If needed, add more vinegar or a little water to cover.
- Seal well and shake to combine. Then refrigerate for at least 1 hour. The flavors will deepen and intensify the longer it marinates. Best flavor is achieved after 24 hours.
- Will keep in the refrigerator for 2-3 weeks (sometimes longer). Not freezer friendly.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since joining TheOneRing.net in 2012! Learn hobbity recipes, crafts, and more by watching new episodes and/or perusing the 10+ years worth of videos on their YouTube channel. 🌻 New episodes debut every other Saturday. Be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit on YouTube and check back here at TheOneRing.net so that you don’t miss out!
Get even more slow-living hobbit content by following Happy Hobbit on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok! If watching the show has left you with an appetite for more, know that Kili (Kellie) has a podcast where Tolkien is often mentioned called Forests, Folklore & Fantasy.