Recipes from the Shirefolk

"We've had one, yes. What about second breakfast?"

A treat for the eyes as well as the stomach. In Recipes from the Shirefolk: A Book About the Greatest Art of All, lovingly hand-drawn pictures illustrate more than fifty recipes, including breakfast bites to soothe the first hunger pangs of the day (before second breakfast and Elevenses), hot dishes to get you through the day, sweet treats for afters, and various snacks and nibbles to enjoy throughout the day.

The lucky owner of this cookbook, then, is always well prepared for surprising visits from Dwarves and sorcerers and ready to follow them blindly on hair-raising adventures … after a hearty meal, that is!

About the Author

Patzy Llaleena from the Ilmen Valley is a master of the culinary arts who understands that a beautiful meal or dessert can bring any people together. An exceptional meal is like a revelation to her, and the sparkle in her guests' eyes is (besides the food) her greatest reward. In this cookbook, Patzy Llaleena has now compiled her favourite recipes, some of which she brought back from her travels around the world or learned from other master chefs.

Stir up conflict—or simply the dinner stew.

The Ladle blends rustic character with battlefield practicality. Handmade from high-density foam with a dense core, this prop is shaped to look like a hand-carved wooden ladle, complete with wood grain texture and weathered finish. Supply a busy medieval kitchen, staff a lively tavern, or arm a fiery innkeeper with this ladle.

Not only a prop, the Ladle is safely designed for contact. Need to break up a tavern brawl with a whack on the noggin? Drive a drunk burglar away from your bowl of soup? Or maybe grandma's legendary "discipline spoon" makes its grand entrance with a flourish in the middle of a village feud? With this ladle as your prop, your scenes can pass beyond words into indelible action without harm.

Ideal for LARP events, reenactments, or theatrical performances where safety and immersion are both priorities, this ladle brings kitchens, market stalls, and roadside taverns gloriously to life. Lightweight, durable, and just the right amount of whimsy to turn a common prop into an epic centerpiece of narrative. 

Add grit, humor, or just more explosively interesting to your world with the Ladle—because sometimes the heart of the battle is in the kitchen.

The bold image of the Landsknechte, with their extravagant clothing and adventurous deeds, has endured to this day. Back then, they were not least regarded as insatiable drunks and fastidious eaters. Officers feared their wrath if food supplies failed to arrive. Their songs tell us of complaints about hunger and cold, but also of dreams of roasted chickens and cool wine.

But what did they have on their plates? In a detailed introduction, this book traces the facts behind the legend. What was the life of the Landsknechte like? How were they fed? What foods did they know and how did they prepare them? Based on sources from the 15th and 16th century, the book offers over 50 recipes that were familiar to the Landsknechte and nourished them in good or lean times.

Over 50 recipes do justice to both historicity and today's tastes. Each original recipe is accompanied by instructions for the preparation in the modern kitchen. All ingredients and basic dishes are described thoroughly, and even beyond that, the cookbook offers detailed information about the way of life of the Landsknechte, such as eating habits and table manners.

About the author

Volker Bach has been active in the field of Living History for twenty years. He has been particularly fascinated by culinary history since his studies, and in addition to his work as a language teacher and translator, he gives historical cooking courses. The Landsknecht Cookbook is his first German-language book, to which we would like to add an English-language edition to reach the international community as well.

"What about elevenses? Luncheon? Afternoon tea? Dinner? Supper? He knows about them, doesn't he?"

Embark on a culinary journey to the Shire, where hafting cuisine calls for seven meals a day! Scorn and sweet dishes for first and second breakfast, a light elevensies mack, and then a hearty lunch of pork pie and other favorites get them through the first part of the day.

For afternoon tea, halflings refresh themselves with tasty sandwiches or summer cakes. The evening meal is rather modest in comparison, but at night they really dig in. Westfarthing rabbit, front with herb butter, braised lamb shanks, and many more delicacies are on the menu.

Oh, to be a halfling!

For this book, Chelsea Monroe-Cassel bas gathered over 4o recipes from the Shire that evoke all the wonderful aromas, flavors, and culinary hospitality of a halfling cottage.