Summer Solstice Feast

The Summer Solstice has come!

This will be a short post, because I'm busy this season. And apparently so are a lot of other kitchen witches, to judge by the amount of questions I got on the lines of "I'll be hosting a Solstice festival/coven meeting/get-together/party, what can I serve?"

And since I'll be doing the same thing, I can still help you. Here's some quick ideas for your Summer Solstice Feast.

Not pictured: goat cheese and fresh mint frittata because I'll be making it later.

1. Go regional

A good Solstice Feast will celebrate whatever is naturally available in the region you are in. This is what the Summer Solstice is about - the climax of the natural cycle, the vitality and energy and fruit of natural processes. So just choose whatever is in season where you are at the moment, which is easiest achieved by going to a local greengrocer and just seeing what's there. Supermarkets have stuff imported from all around the world, but the slightly dirty shop on the corner doesn't.

In my case, this means strawberries, sweet cherries, french beans, fava beans, early tomatoes, young potatoes, things like that. Maybe some early opal plums if I have the money.

2. Go light

Contrary to winter celebrations, a good Summer festival should leave you energetic and ready to dance. Light foods are definitely preferable - fruit salads, simple vegetable affairs - because that's the summer feel. Leave the thick cream and lard-with-onions for the time of frost.*

3. Go personal

Festive meals are best if they mean something to the feast guests, or at least the host. For instance, on the picture above you can see a bowl of couscous with cucumbers and tomatoes. This is definitely not usual for my region or culture, but it means something to me, being a version of tabbouleh I was introduced to during one important summer.

I will also be making a frittata (egg-based Italian dish) for a similar reason, and also because it resembles the sun, being a golden disc. Plus, it's delicious.

And I will also make young potatoes with dill and onion, fried on butter and served with sour milk, which is a very traditional summer food in my culture. Thus including both things important to me personally and to the people I come from.

Oh, and also, ice cream. Seriously. It's summer. Eat ice cream. Do it.

[*If you happen to have bad weather on Solstice Day, you may like my "Bad Weather Beltane" ritual ideas, they're adaptable to Summer Solstice as well.]