Tasting Middle Earth

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Eomer of the Rohirrim

...always, ALWAYS feel the urge to get some bread and cheese and meat or whatever when I'm reading the Shire chapters.

That's kind of what I was saying in the first paragraph, and so I may search out some of the things listed dependent on text. Thirst always gets me going to the kitchen. Always wonder about the pipeweed thing, but the closest I come is sniffing the cigar store in the mall.

[Lalwendë]

When I think of Miruvor I always think of the tap water here as it's beautiful, pure and cold! I certainly don't think of brackish Mordor water; that always conjours up an image of when you see puddles in cow fields, full of, well, what cows leave lying about! And flies.

Lembas is always something like butter shortbread, or maybe Kendal Mint Cake. The orc draught makes me think of Benylin cough mixture (and I wonder if it also bestows mad dreams on the Hobbits).

But pipeweed.... As soon as I read about it I feel like I need a smoke. If I am watching a film with lots of smoking in it (surprisingly rare these days, to see smoking in films...) then I end up with a cough by the end of it as I automatically reach for those tobacco products.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

When I think of Miruvor I always think of the tap water here as it's beautiful, pure and cold! I certainly don't think of brackish Mordor water; that always conjours up an image of when you see puddles in cow fields, full of, well, what cows leave lying about! And flies.

You have to live in an old steel town to really appreciate brackish water. Sometimes the local rivers overrun the water processing plants (great planning there) and so to counter the effects of possible sewage spillover, they load the water up with chlorine, which actually causes it to smell. Supposedly it's all safe, but I'm a bit of a skeptic.

Best water that I ever drank from the tap was from Cancun, Mexico - in the resort area, of course.

Originally Posted by Rumil

While on the subject, I must object strenuously to Coor's being described as ale! Real Ale actually tastes of something, not just bubbles and cold water. Naturally your local one is always the best!

Have no taste for the stuff, and more than a small bottle starts a headache (think that it's the hops, malt or something), and so I defer to your beer/ale knowledge. Went to a place where they laid out small samples of beer and ale, but I couldn't tell you the name of the one that I preferred.

[Lalwendë]

Originally Posted by alatar

You have to live in an old steel town to really appreciate brackish water. Sometimes the local rivers overrun the water processing plants (great planning there) and so to counter the effects of possible sewage spillover, they load the water up with chlorine, which actually causes it to smell. Supposedly it's all safe, but I'm a bit of a skeptic.

I do live in an old steel town, one of the most famous steel towns in the world, but most of the plants are now shut down, so the rivers here (allegedly) have fish in them nowadays. The drinking water comes from up in the hills luckily and is one of the only public supplies in Britain with absolutely no (known) additives.

Something else reminds me of 'brackish Mordor water' though, the slimy water you get in the bottom of drip trays in office water coolers.

Beer or ale of course sums up the idea of beer and ale, the good stuff, like Black Sheep or Theakston's Old Peculier, the kind of beers that remain in the pint pot when you turn it upside down.

[alatar]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

I do live in an old steel town, one of the most famous steel towns in the world, but most of the plants are now shut down, so the rivers here (allegedly) have fish in them nowadays. The drinking water comes from up in the hills luckily and is one of the only public supplies in Britain with absolutely no (known) additives.

Our steel mills, like those in presumably our sister city (I think that I know where you are referring to), also are mostly gone. This, however, has only improved the water quality somewhat as it still has to go through the city system, which is decaying due to lack of a tax base and sensible policies. Where once was a thriving city could now be home to cattle (assuming that they didn't eat the grass or litter) as many building have been razed to the ground.

Know that somewhere upstream that there was illegal dumping of heavy metals - right near the river. Surely these chemicals haven't gotten loose and into the water table...

Something else reminds me of 'brackish Mordor water' though, the slimy water you get in the bottom of drip trays in office water coolers.

Yuck!

[Celebuial]

I think we should give the fans of Withnail and I a run for their money! WE do have three films and lots of food as well as drink. Besieds I don't remember there being that much alcohol in the films..... Maybe thats a sign that there was too much

[Rumil]

I'm reminded of the fans of 'Withnail And I' who attempt to consume the staggering quantities of alcohol and less legal substances mentioned in the film at parties (just a tip, don't try the lighter fluid!).

Maybe it would be interesting to compile a Hobbit or LoTR 'menu', and would definitely result in far less liver damage.

While on the subject, I must object strenuously to Coor's being described as ale! Real Ale actually tastes of something, not just bubbles and cold water. Naturally your local one is always the best!