Today is Midsummer’s Eve.
This may not seem like such a big deal if you live in Tulsa or Budapest, because then today would just be another summer day. But if you live in Norway, or anywhere else in the vicinity of the artic circle for that matter, today is the day that help makes up for all those long, dark, winter nights. Today is when you celebrate- when you take advantage of the ongoing sunlight and the bounty of the summer.
23:23
Half an hour before midnight. That’s what time the sun will go down in Førde tonight. It’s a glorious thing. But then again, the sun plays tricks on your brain during the summer months of Norway. It makes a girl think she’s being sensible and going to bed at a reasonable time, until she realizes that there’s only a few hours left before the 10 lbs. bun wakes up with his 3am call of hunger. Of course, by that time, the morning sun will be well on its way to rising for a new day.
But I don’t complain, I celebrate!
I celebrate with a feast of everything fresh and quintessential of summer. With new potatoes- their thin, papery skins tossed in with lots of lots of grassy dill. With crisp asparagus, dipped in a rich and bright hollandaise. And with grilled fish. This year it’s mackerel on the menu- perhaps the least appreciated of all ocean fish. A fish so full of flavor and healthy oils, that all you need as an accompaniment is a little smoke from the grill and a few wedges of lemon. Oh, and you can eat the crispy skin too! In fact, it’s recommended.
But if fish isn’t your thing, you can just skip ahead to dessert. Because cake for dessert implies a celebration. A reason to stay up late, drinking coffee, and wine, and cloudberry schnapps, taking in the hour-upon-hour of sunlight. Appreciating what nature has given.
Stay tuned for our Midsummer’s Eve cake recipe….
Happy Midsummer!
Posted by: Jenn AKA The Leftover Queen | June 22, 2010 at 05:57 PM