A Summer Solstice Dinner Party 2018

This year to celebrate the Summer Solstice, I hosted a dinner party and bonfire with my friends and neighbors. I am the only witch in my friend group, but everyone loves free food, companionship, and bonfires, right? Roughly 15 people attended and thankfully the majority of the food was eaten or taken on the road.

We began the night by enjoying a delicious feast I prepared myself. Yes, I cooked all of the food.

Menu:

Cheese, Crackers, and Smoked Salmon

Nonalcoholic Raspberry Mango Sangria

Seasonal Fruit (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and sliced peaches)

Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Whipped Cream

Cucumber Dill Salad

Deviled Eggs

Ricotta Zucchini Tarts

Peach and Goat Cheese Tarts with Honey 

Recipes

Nonalcoholic Raspberry Mango Sangria

1 cup chunked mango
1 cup raspberries
1 bottle Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice
1 cup Cran-Raspberry Juice
3 cups Ginger Ale

Place mango and raspberries into a pitcher. Slowly add juices and ginger ale. Gently stir. Allow to chill for 3-4 hours before serving.

Cucumber Dill Salad

2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 bunch dill, roughly chopped
2 tbsp white wine vinegar

Mix cucumber, dill, and white wine vinegar together. Chill for 1-2 hours before serving.

Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Cream

For cake:
2 boxes yellow cake mix (+ ingredients on box)
1-pint strawberries, quartered

For the whipped cream:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Bake yellow cake according to directions in round cake pans (yield 4 cakes). Allow to cool completely on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Mix heavy cream with sugar and vanilla and beat with an electric mixer until medium peaks form. Layer cakes with whipped cream and strawberries.

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Once more people arrived, we started the bonfire and enjoyed each other's company. We were graced by the presence of my new grey fox, who has taken up residence in my backyard. I am pretty sure its a female. She tends to only come out at dusk and does not hunt long, which leads me to believe she may have newborn kits tucked away in a den.

As the sun began to set, the fireflies danced around us, providing the perfect ambiance to our fireside chats. My best friend and her husband stuck around later than the others, and we ended the night contemplating time, our existence, and dreams magic. It was a lovely conversation and very thought-provoking.

Despite not seeing them, I could feel the presence of fairies in my garden. I am sure they enjoyed the dying embers of the fire when we returned to the house for the night. Overall it was a gorgeous night with great friends and good food.

I hope everyone enjoyed the Summer Solstice this year, or Winter Solstice if you are in the Southern Hemisphere.