Midsommar Prep

In Minnesota this year we have two weeks of Midsommar celebratory options, which is ironic considering we have yet to experience spring. Perhaps the iffy weather will make the festivities even sweeter. Our celebration begins tomorrow with a trot through the grounds at American Swedish Institute, a dance around the maypole, and indulging in a pastry or two from FIKA. Then our group will come back to our place for a Nordic feast worthy of any Scandinavian. Next weekend we head to events at Svenskarnas Dag (Swedish Heritage Day) and picnic along the Minnehaha Falls.

In preparation, I am quick pickling cucumbers, rolling meatballs, tossing potato salad, nibbling on herring and gravlax (I'm testing the flavors!), and mourning the Most-Expensive-Chocolate-Hazelnut-Cake-Experiment-Fail-Ever (more on that in another post). Nothing says Midsommar (or midsummer if you prefer) like a bowl of fresh strawberries, so this year we are adding strawberries to the beginning of our meal with an appetizer of grilled Strawberry Caprese Pizza, and as tradition demands we will end the meal with thick slices of the best Strawberry Cream Cake I've ever had.

You can read more about Strawberry Caprese Pizza (a.k.a. Kick-in-the-Pants Pizza) at this week's Called to the Table. Then start practicing your dancing style and memorize the lyrics to Små Grodorna. In Sweden frogs say "Kou ack ack ack," and pigs say, "Å nöff nöff nöff."

See you at the maypole! And don't forget the aquavit!

Små Grodorna
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
Små grodorna, små grodorna är lustiga att se.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
Ej öron, ej öron, ej svansar hava de.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.
Kou ack ack ack, kou ack ack ack,
kou ack ack ack ack kaa.