Summer is finally here! We recently wrote about the Swedish solstice celebration of Midsommar, but they are not the only game in town for Midsummer festivities. In Latvia, the celebration around Midsummer is the biggest holiday of the year. Latvians celebrate both the nights of Midsummer eve, Līgo (Ligo), and the next day, which is known as St. John’s Day or Jāņi (Jani). Like their Swedish counterparts, Latvians spend the day outside to take in the very late sunsets, weaving flower crowns, dancing, eating and drinking. However one major point of difference between the Swedish and Latvian midsummer table is the cheese! In Latvia, one of the signature dishes of Jani is the bright yellow cheese known as Jāņu siers (Jaņi cheese), flavored with caraway seeds. Not only eaten on Jani, this is a dish you will find on any Latvian smorgasbord throughout the year, and you can find a recipe to make your own at Latvian Eats.
Traditional Jani table in Latvia by Pablo Andres Rivero
Eating The World 