How We Celebrated Litha: Food, Fire & Seasonal Magic

The celebration of Litha, the summer solstice, honors growth, warmth, and the fire that is the focal point of the season. Slowing down and celebrating time with purpose, delicious food, and a little seasonal magic are also important to us. Here’s the breakdown of our Litha weekend celebration.

Three days of getting together, cooking, laughing, and making plans made up this year’s celebration, which was straightforward but incredibly fulfilling. We eschewed the ornate altar setup in favor of what felt authentic: grilled meals, herbs from the garden, a backyard bonfire (in the end), and peaceful times spent at the table. Some of it was planned, much of it was intuitive, and all of it felt right.

The Citrus Sun Spritz was the first recipe to hit the blog, and more are coming soon — including a creamy corn salad, freezer-to-grill pork tenderloin, and a nectarine thyme ice cream we’ll be dreaming about all summer. Until then, I wanted to share a snapshot of what we cooked, how we celebrated, and how we honored the turning of the wheel.

A Weekend of Seasonal Celebration

With each meal, ritual, and small moment that prompted us to pause and take notice, we allowed the energy of the solstice to linger as we extended our Litha weekend celebration over three days. All of the dishes felt in line with the season, whether they were planned or spontaneously assembled from the ingredients available.

Friday, June 20

One of our favorite freezer-to-grill mainstays served as the centerpiece of our first feast:

• Citrus-marinated pork tenderloin (grilled) – recipe coming soon!
• Sun-Kissed Citrus Potatoes (roasted with rosemary and citrus zest)
• Herbed Farro Salad
• Citrus Sun Spritz mocktails
• Mixed berry parfaits with whipped cream, homemade lemon curd, and Rosemary Lemon Shortbread crumbles

At the dining table, we concluded the evening with a silent ceremony: writing down our intentions and setting them ablaze in a tiny cast iron cauldron. The spirit of fire persisted even though the wind kept us inside.

Saturday, June 21

The the day following solstice called for something simpler:

• Oven-roasted salmon fillets with herb butter
• Leftover farro salad
• Roasted summer vegetables
• Scoops of nectarine thyme ice cream, no toppings needed

No planning, no stress… just good food and space to breathe.

Sunday, June 22

The wind finally died down, and we closed the weekend with flame and feasting:

• Santa Maria-style tri-tip (reverse seared and grilled to perfection)
• Creamy corn salad – recipe coming soon!
• Peach and tomato caprese with basil ribbons and balsamic glaze
• Another round of Nectarine Thyme Ice Cream
• A proper backyard bonfire with more intention slips and lingering light

Highlights from the Table

Litha is a sabbat of plenty, and throughout the weekend, that spirit was evident on our table. Every dish was purposeful, seasonal, and straightforward; many of them made use of ingredients we already had. The following recipes helped to define this year’s solstice celebration:

Citrus Sun Spritz

All weekend long, this mocktail was a favorite because it was bright, herbal, and perfectly fizzy. It was made with lemon juice, sparkling lemonade, and rosemary simple syrup, and it was equally magical and refreshing.

Freezer-to-Grill Pork Tenderloin

Marinated with garlic, citrus zest, and rosemary, this is one of our favorite make-ahead proteins. Grilled until tender and thinly sliced. This one was a solstice star, but we’ll be talking more about how we prepare our pork in a future Freezer-to-Grill post.

Sun-Kissed Citrus Potatoes

Blood orange and Meyer lemon olive oil, chopped rosemary, and our homemade rosemary citrus salt are combined with roasted baby potatoes. Bake in a hot oven until the edges are golden.

Herbed Farro Salad

Chopped cucumber, parsley, mint, and green onion are combined with cool, lemony farro. A generous amount of lemon zest, a little olive oil, and the ideal accompaniment to roasted vegetables and grilled pork.

Nectarine Thyme Ice Cream

Smooth, flowery, and slightly tart, this Ninja Creami is made with freshly macerated nectarines and fresh thyme straight from the garden. We served it in plain scoops to the delight of all.

Salmon Roasted in the Oven with Herb Butter

Accompanied by a sheet pan of summer vegetables and baked at 425°F with a generous coating of herbed compound butter. Rich, simple, and incredibly easy to love.

Santa Maria Tri-Tip

For the ideal crust, Santa Maria Tri-Tip is reverse-seared in the oven and then finished on the Ninja Foodi Grill. Served with caprese and corn salad, sliced across the grain. This recipe is a summertime necessity and will go live on July 15.

Creamy Corn Salad

Based on an old-school family recipe. Crisp, creamy, cold, and the perfect counterpoint to the richness of grilled meats. Post will be available soon.

Peach and Tomato Caprese with Basil Ribbons

Ripe yellow peaches, heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a drizzle of olive oil.

Rituals & Reflections

While the meals were a central part of our weekend, the magic of Litha came alive in the quiet moments between them, and sometimes, right at the table.

Herbal Blessing & Fire Ritual

Motivated by the energy of the sun at its zenith, we started the weekend with a herbal intention ritual. We each selected herbs that represented the qualities we wished to develop – strength, clarity, joy, and love – and put them in a communal bowl. We each burned a small slip of paper in a fire-safe cauldron after dinner and took turns naming our intentions. The flicker of flame at the table was more than sufficient, but a proper bonfire was impossible due to the desert wind.

You can read the full ritual here, including the magical symbolism behind each herb and a printable to use in your own circle.

Mini Fires, Big Magic

We managed to honor the fire element despite spending the majority of the weekend indoors due to the wind. We embraced the spirit of warmth, change, and joy by grilling our solstice tri-tip and lighting candles with dinner.

Seasonal Stillness

Litha has a certain quality that encourages both celebration and reflection. Golden light, long days, and the reminder that shadows reappear even during the brightest moments. Slow mornings, communal meals, and time to simply be together, purposefully, were ways we honored that.

Final Thoughts

Litha has become one of our favorite sabbats to celebrate… not just because of the food (though, let’s be honest, that helps), but because of the energy it invites. There’s an earthy joy to summer solstice magic. It’s vibrant and sun-warmed, but also deeply intentional. Slowing down to cook, eat, and honor the season with loved ones feels like a ritual in itself.