Midsummer Party - A Fragrant & Tasty Soirée

Midsummer Solstice Soirée 

a t   t h e   S t u r t ' s 

Saturday,  J u n e  twentieth

at  s e v e n - t h i r t y 

under  t h e  s t a r s

(now say that five times fast)

*

Very little needs to be said about our Scandinavian celebration of the Summer Solstice.  If I could have chosen the longest day of the year, it definitely would have been this one.  The pictures will say it all, and what the pictures don't say, the video (in production) will, we'll post that tomorrow- technical difficulties pending.  All flowers were gathered from 2 different gardens (Sturt and Amis residences) and a few little leftovers from a weekday wedding (Thank you Cherie).  Someday, I will have a garden.  And I will have flowers.  And the deer won't get to them, because I'll build the biggest, baddest fence to keep them out.  But for now, I'm going to keep the floral and foliage from this soirée permanently planted in the gardens of my Midsummer dreams.  As I was placing arrangements on the dining table, I would think, "Yeah, this looks good," and then Stacie would lead me to yet another flower bush:  White hydrangeas, variegated salmon tea roses, bright coral garden roses, or soft pink English roses, deep purple Clematis.  The journey into her garden was a color palette of brights and pastels intertwined with vines and branches.  I discovered more and more flowers and leaves as I circled the grounds for the second and third time.  

Let's talk about a Midsummer Dream.  

Here we go.

   

Handmade watercolored and hand-lettered invitation by yours truly.

A traditional Scandinavian strawberries and cream dessert.  

The miniature maypole inserted in the cake prevented the layers from sliding. 

The favors were IKEA hazelnut chocolate bars and Swedish fish in floral cotton drawstring bags.
The cocktail drinks were a choice of ginger ale mixed with either Elder Flower or Lignon Berry
simple syrups, purchased from IKEA, bottles wrapped with handmade labels.

This branch looks a little peculiar.  

I made simple tree branch head wreaths for the women folk to wear throughout the evening.  

And yes, we felt like dainty fairies frolicking in the grass during the maypole dance.  

Well, at least I did, until I saw the pictures.  

Gazing up at the overhead outdoor candle chandelier 

with leaves and flowers wrapped around the iron frame.

A slightly Americanized Swedish Midsummer dinner menu:
Smoked Salmon, Dill & Cucumber Pumpernickel Bread Appetizers
* Swedish meatballs & cream sauce (sadly I forgot the Lignon Berry preserves) *
Boiled Dill Potatoes * Mushy Peas * Cooked Red Onions * Pumpernickel Bread *
White Cod and/or Halibut (we just simply couldn't do the bottled Herring)

No Midsummer's Eve is complete without a little dancing around the maypole 

while weaving large satin ribbons - over & under.  

Nanette kindly informed her husband to wear his best summer whites.  

Evidently no one else got the memo.