Summer Solstice Eats!

Today is the Summer Solstice, which is probably my favorite Sabbat (it's a close tie with Ostara/Spring Equinox). I just REALLY love hot weather and sunshine. It's been in the high 90s in Memphis all week, and we're looking at 100 tomorrow. And I couldn't be happier about it. Bring on the heat. 

I celebrated Litha/Solstice last night because I had happy hour plans with some ladies tonight. I used the Llewelyn's Sabbats Almanac to create a very summer-y feast. I made Heirloom Tomato Salad from the book using fresh basil from my garden, balsamic, olive oil, and lots of dried herbs. I served that with Sourdough Avocado Toast made with LuLu's locally baked bread. And I found a new-to-me cashew cheese from Nuts for Cheese last weekend at a health food store in Arkansas, so I had Black Garlic Cashew Cheese and Rice Crackers, too.

You can't have cheese without wine, so I cracked open a special bottle of my dad's homemade Strawberry Wine (made with my Granny's strawberries that she'd put up in the freezer before she passed). My dad gave away his wine-making supplies when my parents moved, so I only have a few bottles of his wine left. I try and save them for special occasions.

After dinner, I got to work on dessert. I made some Cream Cheese Stuffed Strawberries using Tofutti, lemon zest and juice, and monkfruit sweetener. The little leaves are mint leaves from my garden.

And I made some Rosewater Lemonade with fresh lemons, strawberries, monkfruit, and rosewater. I even made little rose petal ice cubes for the drink. So pretty! This would be great with vodka, but I try not to drink too close to bedtime. So I went zero-proof with this glass. I enjoyed my berries and lemonade next to a solstice fire that Paul built in our firepit. 

Happy Solstice!