The Winter Solstice Menu
The Winter Solstice marks the rebirth of light. It is one of the shortest days of the year, making it the darkest, but it signifies a turning point in our season, reminding us that from now on the sun will spend more time with us and spring is soon to come.
This menu takes you on a journey through the Finnish Winter Solstice myth of Louhi, who stole the sun and the moon, casting the world into darkness, until one day they were freed by local heroes through song and fire.
This menu reimagines that myth through food, in four parts:
Cocktail: The Sequestered Sun
Starter: To Stand in Stillness
Main: Time Is Circular
Dessert: We See Light
THE SEQUESTERED SUN
This cocktail is based on the beginning of the myth of Louhi, when she steals the sun and the moon from the sky, locking them away and casting the world into darkness.
The cocktail is dark; however, the peach in syrup brings a glimmer of light and brightness to the drink, representing the Sequestered Sun.
TO STAND IN STILLNESS
The starter reimagines the moment Louhi cast the world into darkness, where crops died, rivers froze, and hope slept.
To represent this moment of hardship and stillness, where nothing grew and all things died, humanity leaned on foods that could be stored in cool climates and preserved for long periods of time: hard cheeses, cured meats, and nuts. Foods born from the very process of standing in stillness.
TIME IS CIRCULAR
The main dish is based on the part of the myth where the heroes sang spells of fire and light, breaking the mountain of iron where the sun and moon were trapped.
The dish carries elements of brightness, such as the pumpkin and vegetables, lively plants that depend on the sun to thrive. As we are never truly stuck in darkness, there are always glimmers of light, reminding us that time is circular.
WE SEE LIGHT
The dessert is the finale of every meal, but also of this story. Once the sun and the moon were freed by the heroes, the sun rose again, and the people knew that even the longest night must end.
The dessert is full of bright and sweet fruit over a meringue and cream base, topped with a persimmon sauce that is sweet and full of life. All fruits need plenty of sun to become sweet, fragrant, and nutrient-plentiful. This dessert highlights that truth and makes us see light.