Gingerbread Atlanta

Friday, December 12, 2014

Emily Wert and her husband Jim are big movie buffs. They love The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The reason I say this is because for the past 31 years they have been creating and concocting gingerbread houses that are larger than life and this year they have undertaken Laketown from The Hobbit as their yearly project. Nestled in the Morningside neighborhood of Atlanta, I met with the Werts as they were busy in the kitchen baking gingerbread and making hard candy to complete the replica of the movie town that was brought to life on the big screen from J.R. Tolkien’s epic journey through Middle Earth.

Emily Wert places a baseboard for a gingerbread house as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places a baseboard for a gingerbread house as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert kneads gingerbread in her hands as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert kneads gingerbread in her hands as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert (right) and her husband Jim work on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies made of gingerbread at their home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert (right) and her husband Jim work on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies made of gingerbread at their home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert glues a piece of gingerbread using a special frosting as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert glues a piece of gingerbread using a special frosting as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Jim Wert sorts through assorted supplies as he helps his wife Emily work on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies made from gingerbread at their home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Jim Wert sorts through assorted supplies as he helps his wife Emily work on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies made from gingerbread at their home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert uses a hack saw to cut gingerbread as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert uses a hack saw to cut gingerbread as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert places gingerbread houses as she works on a replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert looks over her gingerbread replica of Laketown from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert looks over her gingerbread replica of Laketown from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert pours sugar into a pot as she starts to make a hard candy lake for her Laketown gingerbread model from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert pours sugar into a pot as she starts to make a hard candy lake for her Laketown gingerbread model from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert pours molten sugar onto the base of her Laketown gingerbread model from "The Hobbit" movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.

Emily Wert pours molten sugar onto the base of her Laketown gingerbread model from “The Hobbit” movies at her home in Atlanta on Friday, December 12, 2014.