The Solstice Table
- Jun 19
- 1 min read
The longest day falls near 21 June. The Earth tilts us towards the sun, which appears higher and lingers longer in the sky. To us, it seems almost motionless.
People have marked this day for a long time. They lit fires, sang, and ate. It came at the end of planting. The first signs of harvest were near, and the hardest work in the fields was done, though not all was finished. There was time to wait.
In Japan, summer arrives gently. Cucumbers, aubergines, herbs. Food is eaten at its proper moment. They call this shun. Nothing is wasted, because nothing is kept too long.
In the Mediterranean, summer is abundant. For instance, in Italy the Feast of San Giovanni comes near the solstice. Herbs and flowers are gathered. People eat in courtyards and streets. In Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna: peas, courgettes, apricots. In Sicily: figs and melons. In Liguria and along the Amalfi Coast: basil, lemon, fish from the sea.
Old Celtic, Slavic, and Germanic peoples lit bonfires at midsummer. They said it strengthened the sun and helped the crops. In truth, it was a way of marking the turning of the year.
In Britain, the sun lingers late into the evening. Strawberries, broad beans, peas and new potatoes appear. It is the first real taste of summer.
The solstice is a pause in the calendar as the earth offers what is here now.
Everything is simple because everything is seasonal. This is the heart of Movimento Metroplitano.
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