Midsummer is for all Swedes a very popular feast. When it comes close to this day, we start thinking of what dishes we shall have on the buffet table (Smörgåsbord), which Aquavit and how to do our pole…
A midsummer pole is a must, but it can sometimes be a bit tricky to get one, especially when living abroad. At Shiva Tower in downtown Bangkok, we were several families gathering together to celebrate this event.
As one of our friends is moving away and had an almost empty apartment, we decided to do midsummer inside at her place. This is naturally not equal to have a pole on a meadow, but you always have to make the best out of the situation. Already early afternoon, we ladies met and started to decorate an unstable pole with flowers and greens from the flower market.
Later kids in all ages and a few husbands joined. On the smörgåsbord were the classic dishes like Janson’s Temptation, gravad (marinated) salmon, fresh shrimps,meatballs, Prince sausages, Matje herrings, potatoes, sour creme, the crispy bread, cheese etc.
Enough to watering our mouths. Before you sit down at the table, there are some traditional games to play, with concentration the not boiled eggs were carried on a spoon that you had in your mouth….and some more spectacular games.
Time to eat, the younger generation skipped the herrings and went straight on to sausages and meatballs, while we adults started with those titbits and of course snaps. “Helan går och Silla hon går i havet” echoed through the empty space…..to sing with every shot is also an unwritten law and tradition is also a home made cake, we went for a delicious strawberry cake.
2020’s Midsummer comes to its end and we forget about pole and smörgåsbord. Well the smörgåsbord will be back for Christmas again, half summer also supposed to be gone, but here in Bangkok we have summer all year around.
