Long midsummer nights require easy-breezy wardrobe staples in subtle, flattering colors.

Traditional Swedish midsummer was celebrated on Friday, although there’s no reason why we shouldn’t continue to celebrate the height of summer. Pure whites, metallics and shades of pink festive and easy to wear and will look great with your summer tan. It’s important that you wear comfortable shoes that don’t have pointy heels, since summer parties are often held on lawns and involve dancing.

Weimar Dress by Prairie Underground
Summer is all about easy shapes that move with you, and this butterfly-sleeve Weimar Dress by Prairie Underground does just that. Made in the USA from 100% organic cotton, it is the perfect warm weather dress. A natural waisted seam flawlessly hugs your curves and is the perfect base for a wide belt.
$162, Juno & Jove

JADEtribe Tie Dye Scarf
Handwoven by a women’s collective in Laos, this tie dye scarf by JADEtribe is a perfect cover-up for those sometimes chilly summer nights. Made from 100% silk, it feels great against warm summer skin too. The tie dye patterns is playful and subtle at the same time — a great way to add some color to your summer wardrobe.
$68, JADEtribe

Kim White Equestrian Belt
This wide equestrian belt is sculpted and contoured in the back to fit your body just right. It’s the perfect way to add some layers to that simple white summer dress. The metallic pewter color leather has just a little bit of shine, and will work with many different pieces in your closet.
$110, Kim White

Neuaura Bell Silver Flats
At some point during those long summer night festivities you’re going to want to be dancing, and that requires some seriously comfy shoes. These jute-wrapped ballerinas by Neuaura are made from silver vegan leather with a flexible rubber sole. The lace-up detail in the front is a subtle nod to summer’s big sportswear trend.
On sale for $79.99, Neuaura

Hand Dyed Tote Bag
The Textile Arts Center recently opened a retail shop in Manhattan. These ecologically sustainable tote bags are hand dyed and hand printed with natural dyes. Logwood, indigo, madder, cutch, walnut, and Brazilwood to create three unique shibori color combinations. All proceeds from handmade TAC products go to support programming for children and adults, aimed at preserving the art of hand-crafts.
$25, Textile Arts Center

Andy Lifschutz Gaia Crystal Studs
Brooklyn-based jewelry designer Andy Lifschutz is always seeking new ways to combine his signature artisan style with raw elements such as reclaimed metals, wood, bone and stone. These studs from the Gaia Crystal collection are handmade in NYC from 100% Reclaimed Sterling Silver. Each piece is custom made and takes about two weeks to make.
$113, Andy Lifschutz

DIY Flower Crown
Finish off your look with a pretty flower crown. With a few simple tools, a bit of patience and a bouquet of great flowers, they’re super easy to make too. Here’s an easy tutorial.

The post Midsummer Nights appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnA down and dirty guide to a night of pickled herring and aquavit.

It’s summer solstice this week, which means it’s high time for Swedish midsommar, the best of holidays. Why? Because it’s a classic Swedish tradition that celebrates the longest day of the year, with food and drink at the center. In other words, an event to celebrate the sun. Put good food, a few glasses of aquavit and a table of friends together and you have yourself a party.

I’ve got Evert Taube on the stereo this week and pickled herring marinating in preparation, because if you have an ounce of Swedish in you, you simply can’t miss this holiday. And any self-respecting foodie wouldn’t turn down the chance for an aesthetically pleasing, minimalist Scandinavian event now would they?

Fortunately, you don’t have to be in Sweden to celebrate midsommar; throwing your own midsommar party is easier than putting together an IKEA cabinet will ever be. All you need are some key components, which is why we’ve put the Swedish Midusmmer 101 Guide.

Let’s kick things off with this video by the Sweden.se:

What

A celebration of the summer solstice. In Swedish this is called midsommar. The real celebration take’s place on midsommarafton, Midsummer’s Eve.

When

Midsommar was originally celebrated on June 24, but in 1953 was moved to the nearest Saturday – after all, good parties are always thrown on Fridays.

Drinks

You will need some nubbe or snaps, otherwise known as the alcoholic drink that goes with pickled herring and other traditional celebratory foods. If you’re going the full Scandinavian route, be sure to pick up a bottle of Aquavit. You can get the imported stuff, or you can check out two artisanal brands stateside, North Shore Distillery in Chicago, Illinois and House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon. Pair your nubbe with a light beer, and be sure to put a few bottles of sparkling water on the table as well.

Food

Swedish midsommar essentials are potatoes, salmon, pickled herring and any dessert that involves ample amounts of strawberries and whipped cream. There’s always a basket of hardtack on the table along with some cheeses, and you might as well throw in some cardamom for good measure.

Sample menu:

• Toast Skagen
• Boiled fingerling potatoes with dill
• Several varieties of pickled herring
• Gravlax (dill cured salmon)
• Marinated cucumbers
• Swedish strawberry meringue layer cake

Songs

No midsommar celebration is complete without a few snapsvisor, songs that are specifically meant to be sung in conjunction with the consumption of nubbe. If you can only commit to one (Swedish isn’t the easiest language to master in just a few days) opt for Helan Går, which goes a little something like this:

Helan gor sjung hop for a la la la la ley
Helan gor sjung hop for a la la la la ley

Och den som inte helan tar han inte helle halven for

Helan gor sjung hop for a la la la la ley

Confused? Here’s a video to help.

Phrases

Now that you have mastered the singing, you will need some key Swedish phrases that relate to midsummer.

• Glad midsommar! Happy midsummer.
• Mer sill tack. More pickled herring please.
• Finns det mer gravlax? Is there more cured salmon.
• Jag tar gärna mer jordgubbar. I would love to have some more strawberries.
• Är det svensk snaps som vi dricker? Are we drinking Swedish snaps?
• Jag älskar Sverige! I love Sweden.
• Ska vi lyssna på ABBA ikväll? Are we going to listen to ABBA tonight?
• Skål! Cheers.

Now find a farm table, a group of friends, a Swede or two, flowers to turn into head crowns, a good supplier of pickled herring and you’re good to go. Skål och glad midsommar!

The post Foodie Underground: Swedish Midsummer 101 appeared first on EcoSalon.

ColumnYour guide to throwing your own Swedish Midsummer celebration.

This week marks the summer solstice, and if there’s any place that knows how to celebrate this time of year, it’s Sweden. Its northern latitude makes the winters dark and long and the summers light and short, which means there’s plenty of reason to celebrate the official start to the summer season which kicks off at midsommar.

Midsommar was originally celebrated on June 24, but in 1953 was moved to the nearest Saturday – you can’t have a big celebration in the middle of the week after all. The real celebration is the Friday night before, on Midsommarafton – Midsummer’s Eve –  the time when you gather your friends and families, cover long tables in an array of traditional food, put up a midsummer pole and sing songs as you drink Aquavit, or snaps as the Swedes call it.

I get nostalgic around this time, pining after the land where the sun barely sets and the party thrown in celebration of the season continues into the wee hours of the morning. It’s a day of food, friends and tradition.

Sweden might be small when it comes to population, but in terms of food and culture, the country carries some weight, and with the Scandinavian takeover in the culinary world, midsummer and its traditions has made its way across the Atlantic, which for the rest of us, means the chance to drink artisanal Aquavit without the plane ride.

Here’s the quick guide to the essentials for throwing your own midsummer celebration.

Drinks

A standard in Scandinavian liquor cabinets, Aquavit is less of a tradition here on the other side of the Atlantic, but two artisanal distilleries are making a name for themselves with classic renditions: North Shore Distillery in Chicago, Illinois and House Spirits Distillery in Portland, Oregon.

Want to truly go underground? Make your own. You can turn practically anything into a good snaps, you just need flavorful herbs and spices, or even berries – anything from dill to ginger to raspberries – and a bottle of vodka. Let store in a cool, dark place for at least a few days, and taste to gauge flavor. To increase the taste, you can also add in a couple pinches of sugar.

Chive and Lemon Snaps (adapted from GP.se)

• 10 minutes + 1 week
• 750 ml bottle of vodka
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• 4 stalks of chives
• lemon zest of 1 lemon

Combine all ingredients in bottles and let stand in cool, dark place for at least 1 week. Shake bottle every few days. When ready, strain vodka as chives lose their color if left in too long.

To complete the drinking process, you’ll also need a good snapsvisa or two, songs sung specifically in conjunction with the drinking of aquavit. Start with the classic Helan Går.

Main course

Midsommar food is easy and it all starts with a good base of pickled herring, salmon and potatoes with dill. In New York, the go-to spot for pickled herring is Russ & Daughters, but if you’re located on one of the coasts, you can often find it at local seafood markets, or even make your own.

To top off the fish, serve up a classic dill mustard sauce, taken from my kitchen staple, Vår Kokbok:

• 3 tablespoons mustard
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• pinch salt
• pinch pepper
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1/2 cup cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped dill

Mix mustard, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar in a bowl. Add oil in a slow and steady stream, whisking quickly the entire time. If oil is added too quickly in the beginning, it will separate from the rest of the sauce. Once oil has been added and sauce has been mixed, whisk in dill just before serving. Serve over fish and potatoes.

Dessert

If you’re lucky enough to live in New York, you might take inspiration from Sockerbit, a store devoted to serving up the best of lösgodis, Sweden’s popular bulk candy; no midsummer is complete without a few bowls of colorful candy carefully placed around the room. Other dessert necessities are strawberries, whipped cream and maybe even a good chocolate cake. I like to make a big batch of chokladbollar (pictured at the top) – easy to make, delicious and totally unhealthy.

• 1 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup of sugar
• 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2-3 tablespoons water
• 2.5 cups oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• Optional: 1 tablespoon ground coffee

Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in cocoa, vanilla, water and oats (if you’re adding in coffee, mix in as well). Form mixture into small balls, and roll in coconut to cover them. Refrigerate until serving.

Find yourself a rustic picnic table, cover it in wildflowers and let the party begin. Glad midsommar!

Editor’s note: This is the latest installment of Anna Brones’s weekly column at EcoSalon, Foodie Underground, discovering what’s new and different in the underground food movement, from supper clubs to mini markets to the culinary avant garde.

Images: Anna Brones

The post Foodie Underground: Celebrating Midsommar appeared first on EcoSalon.