In Sweden (where I’ve never been) Midsommar is a beloved holiday the Saturday that falls between June 20th and June 26th. It is then that the maypole is raised and there are festivities. It celebrates the summer Solstice. The Friday night before is kind of like New Year’s Eve, so happy are the Swedes to get what will seem like 25 hours of daylight in a single 24-hour day. Who can blame them.

This year Sommarsdagen is the 25th, so on Friday night (the 24th) celebrate along with them, adjusting for the time difference of course, by laying in a Smörgåsbord. Here are some things that you can serve.

1. Pickled Herring

So much pickled herring. You’re probably about as likely to pickle your own herring as I am, so see if you can find containers of it in a supermarket, seafood store, or order online. If this were the “New York Times” I would provide contact info for a place in far northeastern Sweden to order from where the pickled herring costs approx. $39.99/per pint plus shipping, expect 6—8 weeks delivery, but I write for you, not the “New York Times.” In America this is usually found in cream, very good, but you can sometimes get a mustardy version, which is even better. This you will serve open-face on crispbread, along with sliced or diced red onions and chives.

2. Crispbread

Who among us has not encountered Wasa crispbread? It now comes in many varieties. Get some of each and mix ’n match toppings.

3. Aquavit

You can never have enough to wash down the food portions of your Smörgåsbord. After a couple of shots try to conjure vague memories of the show “Vikings.”

4. Västerbottensost

What? “Västerbottensost is a robust cheese that tastes like a combination of mature cheddar and Parmesan.” You will serve slices of it on your Wasa crispbreads and it has other uses. Good luck finding this. I will say I have found that shaved slices of Parmesan cheese on crispbread is very good but very dry, so you could smear on a little mustard or creamy horseradish. It is your Midsommar and you are a Swede-manqué Gone Wild!!! Plus you have all that Aquavit and it’s not going to drink itself.

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THE RECIPES:

5. Swedish Potato Salad

1 lb. new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled

1 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

large bunch of fresh dill (finely chopped)

Boil the new potatoes in salted water until just soft, drain them and when they are cool enough to handle, cut them into small chunks.

Mix the crème fraîche with the mayonnaise and freshly chopped dill and fold the cooked potatoes into the mixture.

Chill for at least one hour before serving.

6. Gravlax (or, to be more authentic, Gravadalax)

This you can easily find but if you want to make your own, it’s pretty simple and will cost less, as if salmon isn’t already as expensive as if you ordered a gold-leaf steak from that Salt Bae freak. But get cracking; you have to marinate the salmon in brine for 2—3 days.

2⁄3 cup kosher salt

1⁄3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. coarsely ground white peppercorns

1 (2-lb.) piece center-cut, skin-on salmon fillet, pin bones removed

1⁄2 cup minced dill fronds and tender stems

3 tbsp. unflavored aquavit or vodka (but not Russian, Svedka is a decent Swedish vodka)

1 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish

Softened unsalted butter and seeded crispbread, for serving

Stir salt, sugar, and pepper in a bowl. Place salmon skin side down on a double thickness of plastic wrap. Season flesh side with salt mixture; sprinkle with dill and aquavit. Wrap salmon tightly and place flesh side down in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. Chill for 48–72 hours, flipping every 12 hours and gently massaging salmon to redistribute brine. When fully cured, the gravadlax should be firm to the touch at the thickest part.

Unwrap salmon, discarding any excess brine, and transfer skin side down to a cutting board. Cut gravadlax crosswise into paper-thin slices and transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with sliced lemon and serve on buttered crispbread.

7. Ruccolapesto med Cashewnötter (Arugula and Cashew Pesto Salad)

1⁄2 cup grated Swedish Västerbotten cheese (there it is again!)

1⁄3 cup cashews, lightly toasted

2 cloves garlic, peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1⁄2 cup olive oil

1⁄4 cup canola oil

8 oz. baby arugula, roughly chopped

Instructions

Pulse cheese, cashews, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor until roughly chopped. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in oils until just combined; transfer to a bowl and fold in arugula.

Author’s note: I wouldn’t recommend screening “Midsommar” during your Midsommar party.