Solstice ~ it might just be one of the best days of the year in England. Summer is in full swing and there is a joy in the warm air.

Solstice falls pretty much exactly in the middle of mine and my dad’s birthdays. This year we decided to have a joint birthday meal to celebrate the longest day of the year and mark the occasion.

A table was fashioned from some old trestles and a door was used to make a make shift tabletop. We positioned our contraption in the exact spot outside the house where you can watch the sun go down.

I picked the biggest lettuce leaves I could find from the garden and we feasted on a big garden salad with a live dressing, potatoes fried in rosemary, a big shakshuka and toasted the evening with elderflower and lemon kombucha.

Dessert was homemade matcha ice cream with chunky homemade bounty bars for flakes.

Giant leaves were arranged in a flower in the centre of the salad bowl, then rocket, pink magic glittery spinach, mint, marjoram, chives and parsley were chopped up and placed in big ball in the middle of the leaves. Capers, black olives and sesame were sprinkled on top.

At the table a pair of scissors was passed round so everybody could cut the leaves to their desired size straight onto their their plate and drizzle the dressing on themselves.

I always forget how much people love getting involved in some way at the table. Passing scissors round to chop up the lettuce seemed to make everyone smile.

Live Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp raw cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp unpastuerised white miso paste (or a dash of miso sauce)
• 2 tbsp kefir (or natural yoghurt)
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 garlic clove ~ crushed or finely grated
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1 tsp mustard
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Recipe:

1. Place all the ingredients in jug and whisk well to combine
2. Mix through your salad before serving or place in a decorative dish on the side for people to pour themselves :~)