The making of lembas, the bread of the elves of Lothlórien in the work of J.R.R. Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien's works are very rich in heroic deeds and songs, but there is also a significant place for food.

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In both "The Lord of the Rings" and "The Silmarillion," Tolkien mentions "lembas," a food used by the elves during their travels. In chapter 8 of "The Fellowship of the Ring," when they bid farewell to Lothlórien, the nine members of the Fellowship receive the precious gift of lembas from the elves. Tolkien describes them as biscuits made with flour, slightly toasted on the outside and cream-colored on the inside. In the same chapter, it is noted that the Men of Dale made a similar bread, called "cram," but of lesser quality.

"Lembas" is a Sindarin word meaning "waybread," and in their work, the Elves of Lothlórien comment that it is more fortifying than any food prepared by Men and more palatable than cram, from every point of view. A single biscuit had great nutritional value, as the Elves point out in that chapter, advising their visitors to eat little at a time and only when necessary, when everything else is lacking. "The cakes will keep sweet for many many days, if they are unbroken and left in their leaf-wrappings, as we have brought them. One will keep a traveler on his feet for a day of long labour, even if he be one of the tall men of Minas Tirith."

In the later books of "The Lord of the Rings," more details are given about lembas, such as that besides being nutritious, they truly give courage, to the point of being a great incentive not to give up hope. Gollum could not abide them. In "The Silmarillion" it is indicated that lembas were wrapped in silver leaves, "and the threads that bound it were sealed at the knots with the seal of the Queen, a wafer of white war shaped as a single flower of Telperion", one of the Trees of the Valar of ancient times. It is also indicated that the customs of the Elves established that only the Queen could keep or give lembas and that until Túrin they had never given them to Men and rarely did so again.

Although some recipes for this way bread circulate online, Tolkien didn't leave a recipe for lembas. Regarding this interesting and magical food, a few months ago Auraliel published a video made with artificial intelligence showing how lembas would be made. The video is accompanied by two Elvish songs: "Lothlórien, Taur a Lû" ("Lothlórien, Wood of Twilight", in Sindarin) and "Altáriel i Vendë Laurëa" ("Galadriel, the Golden Maiden", in Quenya or High Elvish):