Midsummer
Among other nationalities, my family has Scandinavian origins. Our last name means "mountain". My nana was Norwegian and my grandfather was Swedish. It was always fun watching their good-natured rivalry growing up. His traditions sometimes dominated over hers. But she ruled the kitchen—with such amazing foods as braided cardamom bread or her fish chowder! We even have our own family birthday song (a loose adaptation of Hanskeleva that appears to be half Danish and half Swedish!).
Back in 1991, I was lucky enough to spend Midsummer in a town in southern Sweden called Malmö. I was hosted by a family named Berg—by some coincidence and, to the best we were able to determine, they were no relation of mine! (Their son went to school in the States with one of my oldest friends.)
Midsummer in Sweden was like nothing I'd ever experienced back here in the US. The teenagers were wearing togas, and most were riding their bikes from house to house and throughout the town. Mrs. Berg laid out a true smorgasbord in her kitchen with baked goods, jams, cheeses, seven types of fish, pickled herring, salmon, cod, etc. The alcohol flowed freely. And the whole evening was a fantastical and memorable experience for me!
Fast forward to today, and I am lucky enough that my wife welcomed the fact that I wanted to reproduce that experience here at home. So that's what we now do every year! Last year's menu included Swedish meatballs, lingonberry jam, cloudberry jam, cardamom braided bread, pepparkakor, an extravagant charcuterie board (with boar sausage, truffle salami, goat gouda, gjetost—and more), new potatoes with dill & sour cream, strawberries & whipped cream, two kinds of pickled herring, gravlax, salmon pâté, Wasa crackers, cucumbers with cream cheese and dill. And . . . of course . . . mead!
It's a wonderful tradition. And I love that it is a celebration of the longest day of the year. The height of daylight (so important to those living so far from the Equator!). The bounty of summer's arrival. And a celebration of family, friends, and community. So, to all of my readers, celebrate with me this Midsummer. And raise your glass!
Skål!(Note: This post first appeared in the June 12 edition of The Crafter’s Guild newsletter. If you want to join the guild, you can click here, and enter your email address!)