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“Bakers, you have five minutes left!” Noel called.
Gimli blew on his fingers, having just singed them on the baking sheet. He hurriedly drizzled the maple cream over his salted pork flatbread as Legolas stood at his station, calm, his lembas bread already finished.
“Bakers, your time is up!” Noel called a few minutes later, as Gimli put on the finishing touches.
Paul, Prue, and Allison came to Gimli's station first.
“This is my family's cram recipe, with salted pork bits on top, and maple cream made from the maple trees on the slopes of Erebor,” Gimli declared proudly.
Paul and Prue chewed and swallowed with a little difficulty. “The maple and pork work well together,” said Paul. “But the texture is all wrong and I'm not getting any flavor from the bread. How much salt did you use in the bread?”
“Cram doesn't need salt!” Gimli said. “It’s a bread for long journeys and hard roads. We don't eat it for the flavor!”
“Well, this is bread week, not maple and pork week,” Prue pointed out. “It’s not very pleasant eating, I'm afraid.”
“It’s a shame,” Paul added, as he dusted off his hands and he, Prue, and Allison walked away. Gimli harrumphed.
The judges and Allison stopped by Legolas’ station next. “Legolas, tell us about your flatbread.”
Legolas smiled gently. “This is lembas bread. It's made using my family's own recipe. We use it on long journeys.”
The judges tried the bread, and their eyebrows lifted in surprise. “What is that flavor?” Paul asked. Legolas simply smiled mysteriously.
“I couldn't eat much of that,” Prue commented.
“Well, one small bite is enough to fill the stomach of a grown man,” Legolas replied.
“I'm sorry, Legolas, the texture's nice, but I just don't know what to make of that flavor,” said Paul. “Thank you,” he added, and they walked away.
Gimli and Legolas sat outside the tent after the signature challenge, swapping complaints.
“That flavor was exactly right for cram!” Gimli grunted. “These judges don't know anything about dwarven foods.”
“And I never expected to get negative feedback on lembas bread,” Legolas said icily. “Who doesn't like lembas bread?!”
Legolas stared at Gimli, bemused. “Our breads were so different. How did they both get negative feedback?”
Gimli furrowed his brow. “I guess they're both breads made to be long-lasting,” he said. “Cram isn't considered a treat in our culture. I know lembas taste good, but it's not exactly a treat in your culture either, is it?”
Legolas shook his head, thoughtful.
“Well, there you are, then. These human judges don't understand the needs of dwarves seeking out new mines or trade partners, or elves wandering through the woods. Flavor doesn't matter after a long day on the road!”
“Yes, I suppose that's it,” Legolas sighed.