IKEA Cafe specials
The Cafe at IKEA offers a special each day of the week.
Mondays: Free breakfast until 11 a.m.
Tuesdays: Kids eat free. Kids choose one $2.49 combo meal
Wednesdays: BBQ ribs, french fries and cornbread, $6.99
Thursdays: Roasted chicken and mashed potatoes $1.99
Fridays: Hot dog and soda in the Bistro $1
IKEA’s Swedish Midsummer Smorgasbord Menu
Assorted varieties of herring
Hard boiled eggs with shrimp
Gravad lax with mustard sauce
Smoked salmon with horseradish sauce
Whole poached salmon
Tossed green salad
Cucumber salad
Rhode Island salad
Midsummer fruit salad
Assorted Swedish cheeses
Boiled dill potatoes
Meatballs with lingonberries
Swedish ham (served cold) with mustard
Prinskorv sausage (sautéed)
Crispbread, thin bread, dinner rolls
Ice cream
Assorted desserts
Coffee, tea, fountain beverage
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How to go
What: Midsummer Celebration at IKEA West Chester
When: Friday with seating times at 5 and 7 p.m.
Where: 9500 IKEA Way, West Chester Twp.
Cost: The all-you-can-eat Swedish buffet is $9.99 per person, $2.49 for children 12 and younger.
More info: www.ikea-usa.com/westchester or call (513) 779-7100
Other upcoming IKEA dining events: A Crayfish Party on Aug. 17 and A Yulebord Celebration on Dec. 7.
WEST CHESTER TWP. — Midsummer has been celebrated across Europe since the 6th century.
The ancient celebration marks the summer solstice and the lightest day of the year.
In Sweden, Norway and Finland, “Midsommar” has remained an especially important holiday that’s steeped in tradition.
To get in on the action, you don’t need to purchase a plane ticket overseas.
IKEA home furnishing stores across the country will be hosting celebrations a week before the official weekend of Midsummer to help get interested parties in the spirit.
On Friday, IKEA Cafes will feature an all-you-can-eat Swedish buffet. The West Chester IKEA Cafe will close at 3 p.m. for two seating times — at 5 and 7 p.m.
“It’s great to mingle with Swedes and people from the Scandinavian counties as many of them come (to Midsummer),” said Kitalena Mason, local marketing specialist at IKEA West Chester. “It’s a great cultural exchange that people love seeing. There will be people in traditional dress. We encourage people to make it a social event.”
The event, which likely began as part of an agricultural and fertility ritual, has deep roots in Sweden with the popularity of the holiday rivaling that of Christmas. The tradition of Midsummer is marked by a Swedish dinner, dancing around a midsummer pole, and bright floral wreaths worn on the heads of those celebrating. The national holiday occurs on the weekend closest to June 24.
IKEA West Chester served up more than 1 million meatballs last year, Mason said.
She credits the value and quality of the food as the reason guests keep coming back for more and the reason her locations fifth Midsummer event will be so popular.
“(Eating here) is a unique experience because ... our food reflects our culture.”
What’s on the menu?
You’ll find many of the necessary ingredients to create a midsummer buffet of your own in the Swedish Food Market at your local IKEA including herring (‘Matjessill’), crispbread (knäckebröd) and cheeses. For drinks, stock up on lingonberry and elderflower syrup. To get you started, here are two quick and easy recipes:
IKEA’s recipe for “Sillmacka”
The “Sillmacka” (herring sandwich) is familiar to every Swede as a starter, as a tasty bite between meals or as a natural part of the midsummer buffet.
Ingredients (makes 4 servings):
A slice of coarse rye bread
Butter
Any herring, 3-4 pieces
A medium or hard boiled, sliced egg
Sour cream
Chopped chives
Instructions: Butter the bread. Add the boiled egg slices and the herring pieces with a dollop of sour cream on top. Garnish with chopped chives.
IKEA’s Elderflower cocktail recipe
This refreshing elderflower drink tastes like summer. It’s easy, quick and great for parties.
Ingredients:
2 oz. of your favorite vodka
1 oz. of elderflower syrup (sold at IKEA)
1 lime
8 oz. tonic water
Ice
Instructions: Pour the vodka and syrup into a glass with ice. Squeeze half of the lime into the glass. Cut up the lime into slices and put all but one into the glass. Fill with tonic water and stir. Place remaining lime half on the edge of the glass.
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