Bral Hogmorton sat by the fire and filled two flagons with freshly brewed dark ale.

Don't start talkin' about scoff, you'll have everybeast goin' on about feasts they were at seasons ago. All that ripe fruit an' crumbly cheese an' summer salad, aye, an' rosehip cup. Look, you've got me at it now!

Dishes went this way and that from paw to paw, spiced apple pudding, hot savory pies, colorful trifles, tasty pasties, steaming soup, freshly baked bread with shiny golden crusts, old cheeses studded with hazelnuts and chestnuts.

Ambrose Spike sat by the fire and filled two goblets with freshly brewed pale cider.

I'd have a wedge of mountain cheese, the one with almonds and hazelnuts in it, and one, no two, of Granmum Gurvel's fresh wheat farls, straight from the oven.

Hot shrimp, leek, mushroom, and spring onion stew was being served with large flat oatcakes, there was honeycake and buttercup an' honey fizz cordial to follow.

Under the Abbott's instructions, the kitchen crew had made a substantial afternoon tea. Ice-cold rosehip an' almond flower tea from Redwall's famous cellars, trays of beechnut scones, with meadowcream and damson jam.

Sage-crusted bread was served with bubbling soft cheese and chive dip, a large apple and redcurrant pie was brought out, and elderberry an' plum cordial and blackcurrant port flowed freely.

We came to help with Redwall's Midsummer Feast. I was thinking of making a cheese flan with thyme and parsley trimming. My mother is very good at baking hazelnut turnovers.

Here, matey, how's that for pear cider? Try some of this hot root punch. How d'you like wild cherry an' almond cake? Have a wedge. D'you reckon you'd get the better of one of these apple and plum dumplings? Come on then.

The young hares set food and drink before their guests. 'Enough tuck to kill a duck here.' 'Streambank salad an' a beaker of mulled nettle ale.' 'How about freshbaked minted potato and leek turnovers?' 'Some scones with elderberry jam, very good y'know!'

Atop the picnic blanket sat a delectable loaf of wheat bread stuffed with cheese, mushrooms, carrots, and onions, alongside bowls of apples grown at the Abbey.

They dined on a wedge of white cheese with celery and hazelnuts, preserved acorns, and a flask of dandelion beer.

Golden loaves of carrot and turnip bread shone in the candlelight; tureens of steaming mushroom, cress, parsley, dandelion, and green acorn stew were placed at intervals, between wedges of white cheese studded with hazelnuts and a fennel, hazelnut, young dandelion, and scallion salad.

For supper, they served wild garlic pie, with carrot, turnip, pea, and leek stew, maple wafers with soft white cheese, and a beechnut cake preserved in honey.

Half an hour before dawn the young mouse was roused by a shrew who gave him an acorn cup full of raspberry juice, a loaf of rough yellow dandelion bread, and some tasty fresh roots he could not identify. By first light they were on the move again.

Around the south wall was a scene of merry chaos. Bosie came to meet them, a beaker of raspberry fizz in one paw and a half-eaten honey an' blackberry scone, dripping honey, in the other.

The two otters elbowed their way in beside the Badger Lord and began helping themselves to his beechnut scones. The big badger pushed a hot damson pie and mint tea in their direction.

Golden loaves of oatbread shone in the candlelight; tureens of steaming mushroom stew were placed at intervals, between wedges of white cheese with sage and an acorn salad.

Under the Abbott's instructions, the kitchen crew had made a substantial afternoon tea. Ice-cold dandelion tea from Redwall's famous cellars, trays of meadowcream scones, with meadowcream and gooseberry jelly.

There was a thick mushroom stew, warm sage-crusted bread, a deep dish of carrot'n'mushroom bake topped with cheese, and a candied chestnut cake with meadowcream. After the meal, they sipped mint an' comfrey tea.

He found the others breakfasting by the wall. He sat down to join them, helping himself to oat toast, strawberry preserves, and a beaker of cold dandelion tea.

Dishes went this way and that from paw to paw, spiced apple pudding, hot pot pies, colorful trifles, tasty dumplings, steaming soup, freshly baked bread with shiny golden crusts, old cheeses studded with chives and apples.

Several bustling hedgehogs served them a breakfast of fresh apples, newly baked bread full of hazelnuts an' almonds, and cool dandelion cordial.

They had prepared a light lunch of spring salad with carrots, radishes, celery, watercress, leeks, and scallions and clover oatcakes, eaten near the gooseberry patch.

Oh, I say, Sister Pansy's done us proud! Currant pie, gooseberry 'n' rhubarb crumble, mushroom'n'scallion pasties, yellow nutcheese, and elderberry cordial. Hmm, I would have enjoyed a cup of tea, though. Cordial always makes me dozy at lunchtime.

You a-comin' in for summat to eat? There's clover oatcakes, redcurrant tart with buttercup cream, an' cold whortleberry cup.

The food was good, but not fancy: grapes and russet apples, nuts and bilberries, hot muffins, soft barley bread, cheeses, and mint tea, with flagons of cordial for those who wanted it.

They had prepared a light lunch of lettuce, shredded carrot, and white button mushroom salad and baked sweet chestnuts, eaten near the gatehouse wall.

Rye bread, hot and crusty from the ovens, with honey or greengage preserves to spread on it. Chestnut flour pancakes, blackberry scones, and savory turnovers were passed to and fro among the beakers of strawberry juice and hot dandelion an' mint tea.