Midsummer: Ideas and a Quick Ritual

At Midsummer, the strength of the sun is honored.  The sun is necessary for life to exist and flourish.  The sun helps nourish crops that will soon be harvested. As a kitchen witch, this is a time to honor the strength of the sun.  Here is a simple kitchen witch ritual and a few ideas to celebrate Midsummer. 

This ritual is best done alone in the kitchen.  Send everyone else out to tend to the grill or drink lemonade while they watch the sunset.

Place a gold, red, orange, yellow, or white candle on the stove and light it.  Offer your kitchen deity a bit food such as grain (it can be in bread form).   You may also offer other seasonal foods such as fresh berries.

   Sit where you can see the candle.  Breathe deeply a few times, drawing in cleansing breath.  Ground in your own way.  Close your eyes and focus on the candle flame with your third eye.   

You may wish to contact your particular hearth deity, patron god or goddess, fertility or harvest deity at this time.  Feel the presence of the divine within and without. 

When the time feels right, give thanks for the season.  I might say something like:

“I give thanks for the longer days and the warm weather that helps the crops flourish. I am thankful for the extra time to spend with loved ones.  I give thanks for the bounty of the season.  I look forward to the upcoming harvests with gratitude.” 

Share some of the berries with loved ones and leave the rest as an offering.  

*Decorate your Midsummer table with candles the colors of flame.

 *Add yellow and orange flowers.

*Serve spicy fare that captures the very heat of the summer sun (think: Tex-Mex dishes or vibrant Thai or Indian curries using local, seasonal veggies).

*Use your grill (outside hearth) if you have one.  

*Visit your local farmer’s market to gather produce for your meal.    

*Don’t forget to donate some non-perishables to your local food pantry as well.  We kitchen witches want all to be fed!

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Midsummer

Midsummer is only a few short weeks away. I'm happy to say I will be back in my home state during that time, but as of yet I have no plans for the actual celebration.

Midsummer celebrates the God in all his glory. The Goddess is heavy with child, as the trees and plants grow heavy with their bounty. The Oak King and the Holly King are one. The Oak King is young and full of vigor, while the Holly King represents maturity and wisdom. Midsummer is a classic time to perform all kinds of magick. Herbs harvested at dawn on this day are considered to be especially potent.

Some symbols of Midsummer are the sun, fire, blades, oak leaves, mistletoe, sun wheels, and faeries.

Some of the foods and herbs in tune with this holiday include lemons, oranges, , fresh vegetables, lavender, chamomile and thyme.

Decorate your table/altar with herbs, flowers, fruits and vegetables of the season, blue and green candles, and burn lavender, rose, cinnamon, or citrus incense.

Set up tables outside in your yard if you can, or find a nice park. Provide your loved ones with the following feast and nourish their bodies they can perform their healing, purifying, or love magick. They will be fed in body and spirit.

Midsummer Menu

Chamomile-Lavender Iced Tea with Honey

Pumpernickel Bread (with spinach-dill dip)

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese

Grilled Summer Salmon with Herbs

Key Lime Pie



Iced Tea
This couldn't be simpler. Depending on the amount of iced tea you want to make, steep chamomile tea bags in hot water for a few minutes, along with a good tablespoonful of dried lavender buds, wrapped in cheese cloth. Sweeten with honey. Chill. Serve over ice and garnish with lemon wedges, if desired.

Grilled Veggie Salad

1 each red and orange/yellow bell pepper
2 small zucchini
1 small eggplant
4 Portobello mushrooms, cleaned
1 red onion
3 small leeks (optional, if you don't want too much onion flavor)
Assorted salad greens
Extra virgin olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Salt and Pepper
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
4-6 ounces goat cheese

Rub the bell peppers with oil and roast on the grill until the skins blacken. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the peppers to sit and steam for about 10 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel, core and slice into strips.

Preheat the grill. Blanche the leeks (carefully cleaned) and the red onion (sliced into wedges) in salted boiling water for 2 minutes. Slice the zucchini and eggplant into 1/2-inch thick slices. Brush all the vegetables with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the vegetables separately until barely done, about 5-7 minutes, turning once. Slice the mushrooms into strips after they come off the grill.

Whisk together olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a 2:1 (oil to vinegar) ratio. Add the fresh thyme and season with salt and pepper. Toss the salad greens with the dressing and arrange on plates. Top with the grilled vegetables and chunks of goat cheese. If desired, a little extra balsamic vinegar can be drizzled over the grilled vegetables. If you aren't a fan of goat cheese, some shaved Parmesan would also do nicely, or leave the cheese out completely.


Grilled Summer Salmon with Fresh Herbs

4 medium to large salmon fillets
4 sprigs each fresh thyme, basil and rosemary
1/2 cup parsley
3 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
3 - 4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper

In a blender combine everything except the salmon. If using fillets that have the skin, apply the herb mixture on the skinless side. On a preheated grill that has been sprayed with nonstick spray, grill the salmon 3-4 minutes on each side.

Stay tuned for Pumpernickel Bread with Spinach-Dill Dip and Key Lime Pie

I need a typing break! :)