‘Surrounded with greenery on Midsummer’s day’

Breathe in the scent of summer as the short season is so precious. When you have all day picnic in the woods, you get to observe nature’s life all around you. Listen to the leaves brushing against each other in the wind and let the waves of the lake hypnotise you. Baby birds are chirping in the nests and the forest is about to pop with blueberries any day now.

Midsummer’s day was all about a picnic by the lake in the middle of the lush woods. My friend and I put some summer dresses on and drove out of the city to feel the essence of Midsummer’s day. We picked some wildflowers, listened to the sounds of the nature and enjoyed some little treats as we sipped on delicious oat milk coffee. Escaping from the city almost feels like an escape from reality, as you get to enjoy the moment with more purpose, as there is no distraction around you. We nibbled on macarons, let our hair blow in the wind and indulged in some leftover rhubarb pie and salty zucchini canapes. As midsummer is all about fresh berries, we also had the most delicious flavored berry and basil water. You feel at peace when you are surrounded with trees and greenery. The sun occasionally creating flares as it catches your eye, allowing the subtle warmth to sun kiss our skin.

Find the recipe for the rhubarb pie from here.

To make the filling for the canape. Basically chop 1 zucchini and sauté it in some butter. Add a chopped onion and garlic to it as well. Season with salt, pepper and chili flakes. Add about a tablespoon of water so all the juices from the bottom of the pan evaporate. When the zucchini is cooked. Remove the vegetables into a smaller bowl and blitz into a paste with a handheld blender. Allow to cool. Scoop a spoonful on top of the mini pancake and garnish with herbs and nuts of choice.

How to make mini pancakes

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 eggs
• pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• About 1 cup milk

Mix everything together until it forms a thick batter. Cook “tablespoons” of batter on a non-stick pan over medium heat until the surface starts to bubble. Flip over and voilá, little blinis are formed! Let them cool before adding the toppings. If the batter looks too thin, add more milk and if it looks too thin, add more flour.