Our Summer Solstice Fete for Two occurs each year on June 21, when the sun is directly above the Tropic of Cancer. Celebrating 16+ hours of sunlight is a Florida ritual for HIMself and me. This year we enjoyed a berry dessert and cool cocktails by the lake at days end. Wayfair invited me to share my Summer Solstice traditions and sponsored this post.

Summer Solstice Fête

Our Summer solstice began with a morning walk along the beach and ended with cocktails and a special dessert at sunset. This year the sun was in and out of clouds and it rained off and on throughout the afternoon. This made for a steamy, muggy evening that called for a an ice-cold summer drink on the dock.

Easy Cool Gin Gin Fizz Recipe

It is a refreshing and delicious sippin’ drink I call My GIN GIN Fizz. It is made with icy cold GINger Ale and GIN (I like the good stuff in the blue bottle) infused with cucumber and fresh picked oranges for at least two days in the fridge. I actually keep a bottle of my Gin concoction in the freezer all summer.

HIMself loves sweets, so I often make a little treat for him and me. I incorporated an organic lavender buds into the cookies and berry compote. It has a delicate flavor and adds something special to the Summer solstice fete.

Berry Compote Recipe

Summer in the South yields many delightsome foods and berries are among the best. I use them almost daily. For our Summer Solstice fete, I mixed blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries in a bowl. I made a simple syrup of 1/4 Cup sugar, 1/4 Cup macerated berries, and 2 T of lavender buds broken apart. I brought the mixture to a boil and lowered the heat to medium and let it cook until the sugar was dissolved (about 5 minutes). After it cools, I pour over 2 ups of berries, stir and place in fridge over night.

I made my famous Lavender Pecan Butter Cookies to add a little crunch to the Summer Solstice festivities. They have a nutty flavor and buttery texture. I make them every June 21st.

Summer Solstice Fete Butter Cookies

To your favorite butter cookie recipe add crushed pecans (I crush them very fine) and lavender buds, which have been pulled from the stalk. And bake as usual. For the glaze, I mix the juice of a fresh-picked orange with confectioners sugar to make a medium thick glaze. I spread on cookies and dopr a few lavender buds and flowers to garnish. They are beautiful to look at and have a delicate lavender flavor.

Shop My Look at Wayfair

To replicate my look, you can shop Wayfair. Here are some items like the ones I use:

• The Bistro table and chairs are easy to take to the dock for a quick summer meal or drink.
• The square yellow tablecloth over a white sheet makes the table pop.
• The white china dessert plate with platinum rim displays the food beautifully.
• The iced tea glasses make a show of the tall, cool summer drink. Mine are antiques.
• The golden fork brings sparkle to the Summer Solstice Fete table.

To see a few of my other favorite table and party tools, check out my wish list at Wayfair.

Don’t forget the flowers…

I hope I have encouraged you to create a Summer Solstice fete of your own next year. Make it special and memorable by adding a touch of your personality.