This week we discuss book 4, chapter 4, "Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit", from The Two Towers.

Conversation Topics:

The hobbits’ strategic plan for their journey around Mordor

Gollum’s physical and psychological decline

The emotional bond between Frodo and Sam

The significance of color symbolism in Tolkien’s description of armies

Gollum’s forgotten skills and culinary mishaps

The intense battle scenes and strange sights—Oliphants, Mamuks, and more

The debate over Sam’s love for Frodo: brotherly or romantic?

Tolkien’s nuanced portrayal of good and evil, race, and mercy

Personal reflections on Tolkien’s wartime experience and its influence on his storytelling

Timestamps:

00:00 – Intro and overview of the chapter

01:06 – Black Gate and Gollum’s backdoor plan

03:26 – Frodo, Sam, and Gollum’s journey southward

04:11 – The approach to Ithilien and the land of gardens

07:15 – Conquest, war, and the shadow of Sauron

11:05 – Bones, slaughter, and Gollum’s hunger

12:35 – Gollum’s forgetfulness and Sam’s cooking plan

16:23 – Gollum’s confused morality and scene with rabbits

19:22 – The gathering suspicion and the push to escape

21:15 – Encounters with Faramir’s men and the surprise of Dunedain

26:26 – Racial nuance, Tolkien’s depiction of peoples, and themes of mercy

35:54 – The epic appearance of an Oliphant and the end of the chapter

37:01 – The rich symbolism of army colors and the landscape’s hidden depths

41:11 – Pet peeves: scents that repulse or delight

48:09 – Frodo, Sam, and Gollum’s relationship explored

55:29 – Love, loyalty, and the complexity of Tolkien’s character dynamics

1:00:04 – Reflections on war, morality, and Tolkien’s worldview

1:07:06 – Food for Thought: Stew

1:12:02 – Teasing the next chapter: “The Window on the West”

Todays "Food for Thought": The Stew Sam Really Wanted

In this chapter, Sam makes a rather sad coney (rabbit) stew with some water and herbs. I opted to include some root veggies, since Sam wanted those but didn't have any. Rabbit isn't readily available in grocery stores near me, so I used chicken instead in a rather basic stew.Recipe based on https://www.budgetbytes.com/chicken-stew/#wprm-recipe-container-58560-1 onion, diced-4 cloves garlic, minced-3 carrots, sliced-1 lb baby red potatoes, halved/quartered-1 lb chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks-4 Tblsp flour-2 Tblsp butter-1 Tblsp olive oil-Fresh herbs (Sam used bay leaves, thyme, and sage)-4 cups chicken brothToss chicken with 2 Tblsp flour.

Add butter and olive oil to stockpot. Once heated, add the chicken and brown on all sides. Remove chicken.Add all veggies except potatoes to pot and saute until softened. Add remaining 2 Tblsp flour to coat, and cook 2 min longer.Add broth, potatoes, chicken, and herbs. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender and chicken is cooked through. Add salt and pepper to taste. Now THAT'S a stew!

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