I have been researching Swedish Midsummer celebrations and specifically the evening meal. So I found recipes and shopped so I could create one at home.

I started yesterday with making Snaps. I would have thought this would be a wintertime drink but apparently it is enjoyed with the Midsommar meal so I made it. Turns out I did not have much vodka so I started the recipe and then went back to the store to get more.

Next I started making the bread for a Swedish Sandwich Layer Cake (Smörgåstårta). Here is the bread.

Then I made a rhubarb cordial for making cocktails (rabarberdrinkar). I used our rhubarb for this.

Next I made the Böckling (smoked herring) Mousse.

Next came the cream cheese spread.

then came the first attempt at Strawberry Cake.

Then came the second attempt at this Midsommar cake.

I decided to go pick some flowers at this point.

And I started constructing my sandwich cake.

Not as pretty as the photo but not bad.

Then came my third attempt at the Strawberry cake (Jordgubbstårta).

Next I mixed some of the rhubarb cordial with some vodka, gave up on the Internet, grabbed a Better Homes and Garden cookbook and made a yellow cake.

I used the first failed cake recipe to make the filling and coating.

Tom is grilling T-bone steaks for his dinner. He is not a fan of herring, salmon and shrimp. Plus I am making him Hasselback Potatoes.

So here is our meal all assembled.

And Tom got our wood-fired hot tub ready for after dinner.

Glad midsommarafton!