Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls

Tolkien scholar Astrid Tuttle Winegar’s “Cooking for Halflings & Monsters: 111 Comfy, Cozy Recipes for Fantasy-Loving Souls” is a delightful collection of dreamy recipes featuring grown-up comfort food for all your favorite storybook reads.The research and testing that went into putting together each of the delectable dishes in Winegar’s grand opus was obviously an enormous undertaking for the author who personally created, tested, captioned, and illustrated each one of her 111 recipes—including recipe substitutions and variations for those with specific dietary needs, not to mention those of us who are of the vegetarian persuasion. Each of the eight chapters featured in Winegar’s book is complete with an introduction to the lifestyle of whatever fantasy creature may find a certain dietary menu appealing—a hobbit, elf, or wizard, and is geared toward a specific venue set one might frequent in their particular fantasy world—a café, inn, or pub. Fortunately for us mere mortals, these homey, comfort-food recipes also happen to be tailor-made for everyday people in our own world who enjoy everything from pub-style grub to more elegant fare.As an historian and a tremendous fan of Tolkien (Who isn’t?!), who has developed into a pretty good cook since I was a youngster standing knee-high by my French grandmother’s side, I can attest to the fact that the recipes contained in Winegar’s remarkable collection are easy to follow and deliciously satisfying. The author’s notes on methodology, cooking in various altitudes, conversion charts, ingredients, and measuring and baking demonstrate her vast knowledge and experience with the cooking arts. I personally tested “Chloe’s Macrows ond Chese” (aka “Chloe’s Macaroni and Cheese”) and found the dish to be both easy to make and deliciously satisfying. “Stout and Sturdy Chicken and Dumplings”—using the recommended leeks—is now a family favorite with its light cumin fragrance wafting through the entire house enticing hungry appetites to our supper table. And, all I have to say about “Elfryda’s Apple Crisp” is YUMMERS!I must mention that did find the ebook version formatting of “Cooking for Halflings” a bit hard to follow—with recipe titles often listed at the bottom of the page for a prior recipe, and I experienced some confusion paging back and forth between the chapters where recipes were resorted and duplicated. But, I loved the collection itself so much that I will be ordering the paperback version—which should ensure my favorites can be easily tabbed and found for the future joy and happiness of my friends and family.

I love reading cookbooks, particularly ones of different cultures and areas, real or fantasy. Even if I don't get a chance to try the recipes, they can take me away to another place where I can learn about the people through one of the better mediums out there - their food.Not so much for this book. While the idea behind it (inns and restaurants in different areas of a fantasy word) is nice, none of the recipes give a real distinct 'feel' of different cultures. One herb mix is used for many different dishes, from human to halfling to dwarf, etc. Even in reality, different human cultures use different signature flavors! There is also a lot of author commentary about real-life experiences in coming up with these dishes, which jarringly takes you out of any 'fantasy' element. (Never mind the near constant comments of how much green chili to add into any particular dish, as the author is from New Mexico and you never forget that.)Aside from that, the recipes look good on first glance, and they have been tested out in real life, so they'll work.

My partner and I love this strange cookbook! It looks like it came from Middle-earth with its design. It might seem a bit odd not to have sections for each item, like soups and desserts. Each chapter is a "fantasy" restaurant and sets everything up in a sort of menu. But we got used to it quickly. The author has a good sense of humor, though she mentions green chile a lot. That's fine, since we love green chile and lots of the recipes can be made either with or without it. Its good that there are photos for every recipe, even if they are not professional. They add a homey touch. The artwork is charming throughout. Our favorites so far have been the Mushroom Bacon Dish of Might and Marcella's Cherries---both were delicious and easy to follow. We plan to try many of the recipes, though I doubt if we're up to making the Turkish delight one. This would make a great gift for anyone who loves Narnia or Tolkien's books, but anyone can enjoy it. Recommended!

The book doesn't keep well with its own theme for anything, just looks like random pictures taken by a phone. Recipes are fine, but doesn't meet the same standard as other fantasy cook books.

A cookbook filled with a variety of recipes that provide some inspiration for other dishes.

Got it for my older brother (29) and he loved it!

A must have cookbook!

I love the recipes