“Taters,” insists Hamfast Gamgee, “makes the best ballast for the belly! Boil’em, mash’em, put’em in a stew—you can do about aught with’em as you’d wish.”
But for the Turning of the Year, most will bring their taters and bury them in the ashes of the Yule fire for them to cook whilst those who live in the region of the Hill dance and leap about the flames. Only when at last the fire begins to die down and the energy of the dancers flags, they will dig for the bounty under their feet and fill their stomachs anew.