How My Swedish Family Throws a Magical Midsummer Feast
I invite you to celebrate the longest day of the year. Gather friends and family together over summer’s bountiful food and flowers.
Clarissa Wei
The first time I visited Sweden in the summer with my Swedish boyfriend-now-husband, I was bewildered by how long the day lasted. The sky was still bright at 10 p.m.— long after we finished dinner, washed the dishes and settled in for bed. It never got genuinely dark. My husband told me to savor every moment because the rest of the year is the stark opposite. In the winter, the country is cloaked in cold and darkness; people mostly stay indoors. In Sweden, summer is something to look forward to, and Midsummer is the holiday commemorating its peak.
What Is Midsummer?
Celebrated around the end of June in the Northern Hemisphere, Midsummer began as a pagan ritual honoring the summer solstice, or the year's longest day. While Midsummer festivities are held worldwide, they are especially significant in Sweden, where they are considered one of the year's most important holidays. There, celebrations take place on Midsummer’s Eve.
My in-laws like to take advantage of the ample light by gathering outdoors in the countryside at the family summer house. When the grandchildren are around, they’ll set up a maypole with branches from the forest and decorate it with wildflowers and miscellaneous greenery. With two large loops at the top, the maypole is considered by many a symbol of fertility.
Traditionally, children dance and sing around the maypole. There are a series of games associated with the holiday, like picking wild strawberries to thread on tall stalks of grass or jumping around the pole in circles like frogs. Girls are sent out to pick seven flowers from seven fields. It’s said that if they place the flowers under their pillow that night, they’ll dream about the person they will marry.
Our family isn’t big on the games. Instead, we focus most of our efforts on the food. After all, it’s not Midsummer without a culinary extravaganza that showcases summer’s bounty.
Here’s my guide on how to throw a Midsummer feast
Clarissa Wei
The Decor
If the weather is favorable, host the feast outdoors. We like to set up a picnic table draped with a loud, colorful tablecloth. If you have the manpower, a maypole is mandatory. To make one, tie two long wooden poles together into a cross, and attach two garlands at the top. Decorate the pole with wildflowers, twigs, and ferns, using whatever greenery you can find.
The fields are usually overflowing with wildflowers during this time of the year. If I have the time, I like to pick a bouquet for the table or wrangle together a flower crown.
Clarissa Wei
The Food
It’s all about simple, summery fare. The feast shouldn’t require a lot of heavy lifting in the kitchen.
Here are some popular dishes:
Cured salmon, or gravlax, is a highlight of the celebrations. Traditionally prepared by burying salmon in the ground, this dish was made in early summer when the soil was soft enough to dig. In winter, the ground in many parts of Sweden is too frozen for this method. My mother-in-law likes to make her own by sprinkling salmon with salt, compressing it, and aging it in the fridge. Most people just buy this from the store.
New potatoes, also known as baby potatoes, are among the most highly anticipated ingredients of the month because of their delicate and creamy flavor. Potatoes are a seasonal highlight in our garden, and we always dig out a fresh batch the week of just for the holiday. Freshly harvested, these potatoes have a thin skin that doesn’t need peeling. They’re simply boiled and served with fresh dill, butter and a pinch of salt. Their arrival signals the peak of the growing season.
Soused herring, also known as matjes, is a delicacy often enjoyed with a dollop of sour cream and finely chopped chives. This dish is made from the fattest herring caught in autumn. The fish is pickled in a vinegar brine with brown sugar, beets, cloves and mustard seeds. After being brined for nine months, they are ready to be eaten by midsummer, when they reach peak flavor. It’s sweet and acidic and pairs well with a plate of boiled and salted baby potatoes.
A bright summer salad goes a long way. Swedish salads often feature dill and red onions, but you can use whatever is available. I make a simple one with iceberg lettuce and lots of peak-of-season tomato.
Clarissa Wei
If the weather is favorable, my family likes to light up a grill and throw some sausages, steaks, and zucchini on top. The day is an excuse for friends and family to hang out all day, and the grill is a perfect place to congregate and keep people busy. Pair the sausages with fried crispy shallots, ketchup or mustard. My husband is partial to a condiment called ajvar, a Yugoslavian sauce made from pureed bell peppers and eggplants which was popularized in Sweden in the 90s.
Meatballs are a perennial favorite, flavored with allspice and nutmeg, and served with a creamy gravy. A small dollop of lingonberry jam on the side adds a tangy contrast.
Clarissa Wei
For dessert, a simple sponge cake with strawberries and cream is classic. My mother-in-law whips this up regularly, using 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar and 4 large eggs. If making a cake is too much work, serve a plate of strawberries and whipped cream.
The Drinks
For kids, offer juice or soda flavored with berries or elderflower. For adults, cold craft beer and aquavit are usually the beverages of choice. Aquavit is a distilled liquor usually made out of potato or grains and flavored with caraway, dill, and a potpourri of other spices. It’s typically served chilled in a small glass. Personally, I prefer a cold glass of white wine. In Sweden, all liquor is purchased exclusively through the state-owned alcohol monopoly known as Systembolaget. They are closed on weekends and holidays, so I’ve learned over the years to buy beverages well ahead of time or risk a dry Midsummer.
With a little bit of planning, a Midsummer party is surprisingly easy to throw together. The whole point is to enjoy nature and bask in the glow of sunlit days while surrounded by good food and company.
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