Sommarkalas

“The best thing about the summer is that it never gets dark and you can prepare food in the middle of the night if you want!”

So says Hannu Sarenström about his new book Summer parties. Hannu is a popular author, photographer, an inspiration for gardeners, a TV personality, chef and magician. Here comes his very enjoyable summer cook book – a follow-up to Winter Celebration.

There are picnics and grill evenings, raspberry cream cake, midsummer and crayfish parties… And naturally a garden party and a dinner table laid with white, newly mangled lace tablecloths, and of course we dip the strawberries in champagne before we eat the summer buffet under the apple tree. But there is also simple everyday food such as a beef sandwich out on the kitchen steps, because despite all the parties there are still Tuesdays and Thursdays that come along too. But even those days can be given a bit of a luxury touch with summer puddings with berries or almond plums with mascarpone cream.

This book starts when the nights are at their lightest and ends in the full-bodied September night, just when the maple leaves turn red. Wonderful.