Someone (http://flyingmoose.org/tolksarc/theories/twinkies.htm) preserved an old Usenet post comparing Lembas to Twinkies:

From postings to rec.arts.books.tolkien by BThompson <williamt-aaaaaaat-lamar-dawt-colostate.edu>, dated 11 April and 18 September 1995.

Has anyone else noticed the apparent similarities between Lembas and Hostess Twinkies? Please consider the following:

1) Both are lightly-baked cakes with creme filling.

2) Both are hermetically-sealed in some type of wrapper (mallorn leaf for lembas and malleable plastic leaf for Twinkies).

3) Both will remain fresh if their wrapping remains unbroken (in fact, Twinkies are reputed to have a shelf-life of several million years either in or out of their wrapping).

Are lembas an early prototype for the modern-day Twinkies? Any and all comments are welcome.