Monday December 21st is the Summer Solstice in Australia. It’s the longest day of the year and the midpoint between Beltane and Lammas. The Summer Solstice is a time of magic and mystery, a time when the veils between the worlds are thin. It is a time to celebrate summer, life and love.
After the solstice, the days start to get shorter but there are still plenty of long, hot days and nights ahead of us.
To cool down during the longest day of the year, you can make a lovely Summer Solstice drink by steeping strawberries and basil in wine. Play around with the proportions to fit your taste. You can also adapt the recipe to make a smaller or larger batch.
This wine can also be served for the Winter Solstice, as red and green are the colours of Yule.
Happy Solstice!
Strawberry and Basil Wine
Ingredients
2 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced lengthwise
a sprig or two of basil
3 cups white wine
2 cups soda water
Instructions
Place the strawberries and basil in a large pitcher or jug.
Pour in the wine.
Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Pour in the soda water just before serving.
I really like this combination of basil and strawberries.
The white wine is a hit with me too.
Beautiful photo one of the best.
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I was pretty pleased with the photo but even more pleased with the wine. 🙂
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Interesting recipe! I was given a basil plant for Christmas, so I may have to try this recipe when we can get strawberries again 🙂
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Basil is a great tasting herb and rich in mythology!
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Is it? I am going to have to read up on basil’s mythological connections. It is one of my favorite herbs!
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I have a personal connection to Basil. My Macedonian name (Vasilka) is the feminine diminutive for Basil and my name day is St Basil’s Day which is January 1st! Not surprising for a herb I’m named after it’s associated with death and afterlife journeys. 🙂
Here’s a link to The Witchipedia entry on Basil:
https://witchipedia.com/book-of-shadows/herblore/basil/
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That is so interesting! You have a really strong connection with basil, it is perfect for you! Vasilka is a beautiful name, too.
Thanks for the link! So much information on there. I have been eating a lot of it, so it’s good to know it helps with so many things. “Basil helps steady the mind, brings happiness, love, peace, and money and protects against insanity.” All things I need! Happy (belated) name day 🙂
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