Get out the lederhosen and the beer steins! When the crisp days of autumn arrive it must be time for Oktoberfest. The first Oktoberfest was held in Munich, Germany in 1810 to honour the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig. These days the largest Bavarian festival outside of Germany takes place in Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario every October. If you can’t make it there, why not welcome fall by hosting your own Oktoberfest celebration?
Set the Stage
To create an authentic ambiance, start by setting up a tent in your
backyard. Use long tables and chairs or benches just like they do in
Munich. Oktoberfest is a relaxed and casual event, so there’s no need
to dust off your fine china. Plastic plates, cutlery and table cloths
are ideal and make clean up a cinch. Be sure to provide beer steins to
serve your beverages.
For a genuine Bavarian feel to your party, use the traditional
Oktoberfest colors of cobalt blue and white. Carry the blue and white
theme through for napkins, tablecloths and votive candles. Hang
streamers and balloons around the inside of the tent, or go a step
further and put up German flags.
Dress the Part
So guests really feel like they are celebrating Oktoberfest, ask
them to get in the mood by dressing “Bavarian” style: aprons for the
ladies, suspenders for the guys. As they arrive give your guests
inexpensive Tyrolean hats (usually available from the dollar store) to
complete the picture.
Music
It’s not Oktoberfest without traditional Bavarian music. You can
play CDs, or if your budget allows, go all the way and hire an Oom-Pah
band. It’s fun to give your guests inexpensive kazoos so they can play
along. A nice touch is to print out some song sheets; guests can belt
out their favourite German folksongs well into the night.
Ein Prosit!
"Ein prosit!" is a toast you’ll hear among the clinking of raised
beer steins at Oktoberfest celebrations. Although in Munich only a few
local breweries are allowed to serve beer at Oktoberfest, you can offer
any type of German beer that suits you. Check out your local beer store
and see what is available.
It’s All About the Food
German sausages play a starring role in an Oktoberfest menu and while
there are many different types to choose from, bratwurst is a
favourite. Bratwurst is a pale, smoked sausage made of finely minced
veal, pork, ginger, nutmeg and other spices. Enjoy them grilled on the
barbecue accompanied by soft rolls or dense rye breads. Offer a variety
of mustards, and don't forget the sauerkraut.
To kick it up a notch, try:
Other Bavarian “wursts” to try:
- Bierwurst – coarse-textured slicing sausage flavoured with juniper berries and cardamom.
- Bockwurst
– resembles a large frankfurter, smoked and scalded, usually made from
finely ground veal; spiced with chives and parsley.
- Knockwurst
– a short, plump smoked sausage for grilling; contains finely minced
lean pork, beef, spices and, notably, garlic; often served with
sauerkraut.
Distinctive sweet and sour flavours are common in Bavarian cooking. To capture these complexities perfectly, try:
- Oktoberfest Beef Rouladen – a great make-ahead dish that is made of thinly sliced beef rolls filled with bacon, onions and pickles.
German beer often finds its way into a good stew and hits the spot on a cool autumn evening. For authentic German flair, try:
No Oktoberfest menu is complete without a tangy potato salad. But make it warm!
- Bavarian Potato Salad
– made by mixing hot potatoes with chicken broth, onions, bacon, and
lemon juice. The salad when served still warm is an authentic addition
to the menu.
For the perfect side for any German inspired meal, try:
- Red Cabbage – the addition of apples adds a sweetness that mellows the strength of the cabbage’s flavour.
Now for a sweet ending:
- Black Forest Cake
– historians believe it originated in the late 16th century in the
Black Forest Region known for its sour cherries and cherry liqueur.
This cake combines cherries with the German’s love for chocolate and
cream to make a luscious and hard-to-resist confection.
- German Chocolate Cake
– it may surprise you to learn this cake is not German in origin at
all. In fact, the cake gets its name from Sam German, an American who
developed a sweet baking bar for Baker's Chocolate Co. in 1852. They
called it “Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate.” In most recipes and
products today, the apostrophe and the “s” have been dropped, fueling
the assumption that the chocolate's origins are German. It doesn’t
matter because this delicious cake continues to be a favourite dessert
and is the perfect ending to any Oktoberfest meal.