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.
New York Comic Con was a wonderful place to be for Tolkien fans! Other than the excellent coverage by staffer greendragon who interviewed several of the creatives behind the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim (look out for the videos on TORn’s YouTube and socials), Kili from Happy Hobbit got to chat with some amazing Tolkien-inspired artists on the showroom floor. You can hear their stories below and be sure to check out the links to their amazing creations! Watch the episode.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since 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, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit 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.
Have you always wanted to delight hobbit passerby with a beautiful springtime flower display but don’t feel confident in your green thumb? Then you’re in luck! Kili is here to show you just how easy it is to plant and grow bulbs! Watch the new episode and read her tips below.
Bulb planting tips:
Plant bulbs in the autumn so that they have time to chill over winter.
Choose a spot with partial to full sun
Bulbs need soil that drains well (so they don’t turn to mush after prolonged exposure to moisture), so amend clay soil with perlite or other substances to aid drainage
As a general rule, dig a hole twice as deep as the bulb is tall.
Plant bulbs in the autumn so that they have time to chill over winter.
After the flowers have finished, don’t prune them off! Allow the plant to continue its lifecycle. The leaves will continue to create and store energy that the bulb will use the following spring! The will die away on their own in mid-to-late summer.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since 2012! Learn more 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, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit 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
Every gardener, homesteader, and hobbit hobbyist knows how frustrating it is to lose a crop to marauding birds, but did you know that you can still use the damaged fruit? Join Kili and her fearless warg Mischief (or Missy) to learn how to salvage bird-pecked plums to make a delicious sweet and savory sauce perfect for any hobbit to bring to Bree and trade with a Dwarf… that is, if you have any left! 😋 Watch the new episode here and check out the recipe below!
Sweet & Savory Plum Sauce
Ingredients:
2 pounds plums, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
2+ garlic cloves (I think I used 7)
1 star anise (optional – I didn’t have one, so I excluded it in the above video)
Instructions:
Prepare your plums by washing and inspecting them, chopping them up, and removing the pits and any yucky bits. You can give those to your Sauron-excuse me-worm bin, or compost.
Combine the plums, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and star anise in a large nonreactive pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, 20 to 25 minutes. Fish out the star anise (if using) and discard. Purée the sauce with a stick immersion blender if your warg bounder allows. You could also use a regular blender or food processor once the sauce has cooled a bit.
Ladle into bowls, jars, or bags. Cool, cover, and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks. Note: I set aside the sauce I thought we would use that meal, then portioned the rest into freezer-safe bags, labeled them, and placed them in the freezer for future deliciousness.
Alternatively, you can use the boiling-water method for canning. Ladle into clean, hot 4-ounce or half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Release trapped air. Wipe the rims clean; center lids on the jars and screw on jar bands. Process for 10 minutes. Turn off heat, remove canner lid, and let jars rest in the water for 5 minutes. Remove jars and set aside for 24 hours. Check seals, then store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Modified from a recipe by Caroline Russock
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since 2012! Learn more 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, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit 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.
Have you ever wanted to try your hand at stocking your hobbit larder with some deliciously crunchable dill pickles, but didn’t want to fuss with the mess of canning them? Then you’re in luck! Whether you use homegrown cucumbers or those you have purchased at your local market, learn how to pickle them with this quick and easy recipe! Watch the new episode.
Quick Refrigerator Dill Pickles
To begin: Wash your cucumbers and chop off their heads and tails before measuring them against your jar and cutting them down to size. Next, slice your cucumbers into spears, chips, or both! I recommend placing the solid ingredients into the jar before stuffing the jar with cucumbers. You can even prepare a cute little jar just to bring on a picnic! Feel free to experiment with the ingredients.
Brine:
1¼ cups distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups cold water
1¾ to 2 pounds Kirby cucumbers (about 6), cut into halves or spears
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
6 large garlic cloves, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
16 or so dill sprigs
Instructions:
Combine the vinegar, salt and sugar in a small non-reactive saucepan (such as stainless steel, glass, ceramic or teflon) over high heat. Whisk until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Transfer the liquid into a bowl and whisk in the cold water. Refrigerate brine until ready to use.
Stuff the cucumbers into two clean 1-quart jars. Add the coriander seeds, garlic cloves, mustard seeds, red pepper flakes, dill sprigs, and chilled brine into jars, dividing evenly. If necessary, add a bit of cold water to the jars until the brine covers the cucumbers. Cover and refrigerate about 24 hours, then serve. The pickles will keep in the refrigerator for up to one month or two.
Happy Hobbit has brought Middle-earth to its viewers’ daily lives since 2012! Learn more 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, so be sure you are subscribed to Happy Hobbit 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.
