Tomatoes
From Tolkien Gateway
- "And just bring out the cold chicken and tomatoes!"
- ― Gandalf to Bilbo Baggins, An Unexpected Party
Tomatoes were supposedly a plant known to the Hobbits.
They were referenced in the first edition of The Hobbit,[1] but J.R.R. Tolkien changed this to "pickles" in the third edition (1966).[2] The most usual explanation for the change is that the American plant-life would not fit in his setting of ancient Middle-earth. However, as pointed out by John D. Rateliff, it may have been simply that Tolkien felt that it was too early in the year for tomatoes and substituted a preserved food instead.[3]
See Also
References
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The First Phase, "The Bladorthin Typescript", p. 34
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Mr. Baggins, The First Phase, "The Bladorthin Typescript", note 11, p. 43
- ↑ J.R.R. Tolkien, John D. Rateliff (ed.), The History of The Hobbit, Return to Bag-End, "The Fifth Phase", "New Chapter I. A Well-Planned Party", note 18, p. 18
