What are you doing Friday night? I will be at the movies with Balin and Bilbo, Bifur and Bombur, Gandalf and Gollum. And 100 million other people. And my seed cake.
I am a Tolkien geek, without apology. I have read "The Hobbit" and the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy too many times to count, including all the appendices ("Annals of Kings and Rulers," fascinating!). I’ve read less digestible J.R.R. Tolkien tales ("The Children of Huron," what a downer), his essays, letters and commentaries. I can tell you how the wizards Gandalf, Saruman and Radagast got to Middle-earth; how Middle-earth was formed. I can tell you … oh, never mind.
I just have an itch to say something to mark the opening of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" Friday, but this space is about food. Luckily, in "The Hobbit" there is much food, hobbits being hungry creatures who try to eat at least six meals a day. I can tell you what those meals are … oh, never mind.
Near the beginning of both the book and the movie is an afternoon tea scene at the home of the central hobbit, Bilbo. The private party is crashed by 13 ravenous dwarfs who call for buttered scones, meat pies, apple tarts, cheese, eggs, coffee, ale, even salad. And — "I wouldn’t mind some cake — seed cake, if you have any." This from the dwarf Balin.
So in the hobbit spirit of adventure, and because I believe it is worthy to end the year by trying something surprising and new, I decided to make a seed cake.
It was not hard to find recipes. The Internet is packed with sites devoted to all things Tolkien, including the food eaten in his books, written by devotees way more nuts than me.
A seed cake is traditional English tea fare, dating to Tokien’s childhood and beyond. It is similar to a coffee cake in that it is dense, not too sweet and could be served with butter or jam. The usual flavorings are nutmeg and caraway, the seed that gives rye bread its distinctive taste. Applied lightly, caraway gives the cake a mild, mysterious flavor, one that makes your guests at tea say, "Delightful! What is that lovely taste?"
I pieced together a recipe from several sources and tried it out with the idea that it might turn out plain weird, but it was lovely. I have one piece left, which I plan to sneak into the movies and eat as the dwarfs sit down to tea with Bilbo.
HOBBIT SEED CAKE
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons caraway seeds (see note)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan. Line bottom with a circle of baking parchment.
Sift together flour, baking powder and nutmeg.
In another bowl, cream butter and sugar on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time until well combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Blend in milk a little at a time. Batter will be thick but will pour out of the bowl. Add a little more milk if necessary.
Fold in caraway seeds. Pour batter into baking pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until a pick inserted into the center comes out clean. Serves 12.
Nutritional information, per serving: 290 calories, 14 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 80 mg cholesterol, 200 mg sodium, 37 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 16 g sugar, 5 g protein
Note: If you don’t want to invest in a full bottle of caraway seeds, try a store that sells herbs and spices in bulk. You’ll be able to buy just enough for the cake for a few cents. I got mine at Down to Earth (not to be confused with Middle-earth).
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Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S. Write "By Request," Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 7 Waterfront Plaza, Suite 210, Honolulu 96813. Email requests to bshimabukuro@staradvertiser.com.
