In October, 1810, little Prince Ludwig of Bavaria (later to become King Ludwig I) and
Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen were married.
Their wedding celebrants were the 40,000 citizens of Munich.
(Munchkins?)
The festivities were held on the fields in front of the city gates, that
had been named Theresenviese
(Theresa’s fields”)
in honor of the Crown Princess.
(The locals just call it “Wies’n.”)
They all had so much fun that the party lasted for 16 days, and
200 years later,
it’s still going on!
It’s grown to sort of become The Bavarian State Fair, the end of
harvest season, agricultural shows, rides, beer stands and
a parade with decorated horse-drawn beer wagons,
traditional derndls and lederhosen, and
oompah-pah bands.
At noon, the mayor of Munich taps the first barrel of new beer, and then
the partying really begins.
Whether by accident or intention,
the 1810 wedding festival came at a time when spring’s stockpiles of beers
had to be depleted to make room for the fall’s production.
You see, Marzen (March) is the last month that
beers would be made, becausewarmer months
made the biers a lot less desirable.
With alcohol being a natural preservative, beers were
intentionally made with a higher alcohol content
(about 5%).
Full-bodied, they may be known as Oktoberfest or Marzen beers,
containing almost no hops and bearing a sweet, malty taste.
Lucy Saunders
Oktoberfest is the largest festival in the world, with some
6 million guests each year.
Of the 174 Oktoberfests, 24 have been cancelled.
Twice from cholera outbreaks and the others from those pesky damn wars.
Oktoberfest is still held on the Theresienwiese, “Wies’n”.
So “Welcome to Wies’n” has really come to mean
“Welcome to Oktoberfest!”
(from Corbis)
Gingerbread cookies were probably invented by Medieval German monks.
The dough was often placed on a thin, wafer-base called oblate, used
with communion wafers to prevent the dough from sticking.
“Honey cakes” can be traced back to the ancients.
As a gift of the gods, they were believed to hold
magical and healing powers.
They were also worn as protection in war, and against evil spirits.
Gingerbread is usally soft, but a much harder gingerbread is used to produce
Lebkuchenhertz, that are available at
Oktoberfest.
from Corbis
Lebkuchenherz
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup molasses
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/3 cup diced candied citron
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
In a medium saucepan, stir together the honey and molasses.
Bring the mixture to a boil, remove from heat and
stir in the brown sugar, egg, lemon juice and lemon zest.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda,
cinnamon, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.
Add the molasses mixture to the dry ingredients and mix well.
Stir in the citron and hazelnuts.
Cover dough and chill overnight.
Preheat oven to 350F.
Grease cookie sheets.
Using a small amount of dough at a time, roll out dough
on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
Cut into small hearts, and place them
1 inch apart onto the prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until
no imprint remains when touched lightly.
Brush the icing over the cookies while they are still hot and
quickly remove them to wire cooling racks.
Store in airtight container with a cup of orange or apple
for a few days to mellow.
The icing:
Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan.
Heat to between 234 – 240F, or until a small amount of syrup dropped
into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when
removed from the water and placed on a flat surface.
Remove from heat and stir in the confectioners’ sugar.
If icing becomes sugary while brushing cookies,
re-heat slightly- adding a little water until crystals dissolve.
There are many Oktoberfest celebrations in America.
Daddy really latches onto his Irish ancestry around St. Paddy’s Day, and
then again for
Oktoberfest, don't ya know, lol, for his
German genes.
An Oktoberfest I've always wanted to visit is the one in
Leavenworth, Washington:
Cincinnati Bengal’s Chad Johnson demonstrates
The Chicken Dance:
There’s also a lot of celebrating to do in “Germany” at
Busch Gardens'
“The Old Country”, in
Williamsburg, Virginia.
Brats und Kraut, und bier, und oompah-pah bands, and of course
The Chicken Dance, in the Festhaus; and rides for the entire family.
The highest Oktoberfest Bier Garten is in Big Bear, California.
One of the best in Southern California, is Los Angeles’s:
Alpine Village
in Torrance:
Bavarian Turd Flu Strikes Again
by George Wolfe & Gingko Schwartz
A new flu virus is spread via Octoberfest celebrations and
contact with ...
Germans!
Panic ensues as residents are informed about treatment for
the rare, bird-flu-like disease.
lol
check out Broom Hilda wailing out the Bier song in the background.
ALPINE VILLAGE, California —
While most of us have been sitting around worrying about the impending
bird flu pandemic, a much more serious flu bug has crossed into
The Golden State and
has Californians crying fowl and yodeling their guts out.
This new flu is being called the Bavarian Turd Flu (BTF)
until a more acceptable name is chosen.
Center for Disease Control scientists believe that
BTF was brought to California by
a group of touring Bavarian musicians at California Octoberfest venues.
Lead accordion player, Fredrich Berbeicherheißen, was the first
to get the illness when he consumed one of his bandmate’s
bowel movements after a night of heavy drinking; he apparently
thought it was a bratwurst.“
“After the fits of inappropriate yodeling, the victim
typically gets a rash from the agitation caused by polka dancing.”
The next morning band members awoke to Berbeicherheißen
madly and uncontrollably yodeling.
“We thought he was just being enthusiastic,” says band mate
Otto Stürmundrang.
But Berbeicherheißen was exhibiting one of the first symptoms
of the rare disease.
Dr. Edie Coli of the
L.A. County Department of Health Services explains,
“After the fits of inappropriate yodeling, the victim typically gets
a rash from the agitation caused by polka dancing — thus the name:
Polka Dots.
Other victims have been known to break into the chicken dance,
another popular activity at Octoberfest celebrations.
Then comes very serious diarrhea that squirts out in a distinctive
“oom pa pa” rhythm.
The only thing that seems to stop the disease is standing on one’s head
while drinking a pint of pilsner beer and whistling the pop song
Neunundneunzig Luftballoons.
(on the wall?)
“Public health officials are advising California residents to limit
contact with German musicians — and, to
be safe, not to hand-wash the underwear of
people of German descent.
The Department of Health Services’ slogan for treating
the BTF pandemic is:
“There’s a germ in every German!”
Residents are also being advised to contact police if they notice anyone
wearing lederhosen, yodeling or saying
“Gesundheit” too much.
Alpine Village
until a Zeppelin can be acquired to send them back to Bavaria.
From an article in the:
lalatimes
and finally, much closer to home:
The La Mesa Oktoberfest
Fraulein Celeste is the dancer in the back of the circle
(when she was in high school)
and ... the center dancer.
The North Woods Inn
The first time I ate there was in 1963-ish.
The inside looked like a western gold mine town restaurant and bar.
Sawdust on old wide-beamed wood floors.
Peanuts were tossed on the table, to eat and toss shells to the floor.
(the first time I'd ever seen that gig.)
I went there sometime after high school, and an old junior & senior
high school classmate was the host.
Ol' Hal was such a sweet guy.
North Woods Inn’s Red Cabbage Slaw
(6-8 servings)
1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup + 1T red wine vinegar
3T sugar
4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Shred cabbage irregularly, with some coarse and some fine shreds.
Combine other ingredients in a bowl
(or shake together in a jar or bottle) and
pour over the cabbage.
Mix well and let stand, refrigerated, for at least a few hours, or
over night.
Buttered Spaetzel w/Spinach
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons vegetable oil?
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound spinach, stemmed and finely shredded
In a large bowl, combine the flour with the 3/4 teaspoon salt ,the pepper and the nutmeg. Form a well in the flour and add the eggs and 1/2 cup of the milk. Beat the eggs with a fork, to blend with the milk, then stir in the flour, pulling it into the center from the sides of the well. Whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in the ramaining 1/2 cup milk and the cream, 1/2 cup at a time. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place large bowl of cold water next to the boiling water. To cook the spaetzle, hold a colander (or your spaetzle grate), over the boiling water and pour in about 1 cup of the batter. Use a rubber spatula to force thebatter through the holes.
When the spetzle(s) float to the top of the water, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, skimmer, or small strainer, and transfer to the cold water. Repeat with the remaining batter.
When all the spatzle are cooked, drain well. Put in a large bowl; add the oil and toss well to coat. (Recipe can be completed to this point, 1 day in advance. Cover and refrigerate.)
To finish: Divide the butter between 2 large skillets, preferably nonstick. Melt over high heat. When the butter seperates, add the spaetzle and saute over moderate heat, tossing frequently, until heated through and golden, about 10 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Add half the spinach to each skillet and toss with the spaetzle just until wilted, about 1 minute.
Old Bay Potato Salad
For those warm Southern Californa Octobers,
a picnic tater salad that you don't need to worry about the mayo.
2 lb. red potatoes
2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
3 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large, ripe tomato, cored, seeded and diced
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large dill pickle, finely chopped
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 to 3 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
Ground black pepper to taste
Scrub the potatoes and put them in a medium saucepan.
Cover with salted water.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat slightly, then cook at
an active simmer for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are
just tender at the center
(check by piercing with a paring knife.)
Cool.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, scrape off
skins and cut potatoes into chunks.
Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with vinegar. Gently heat olive oil in a medium skillet.
Add onion and cook over low heat for 2 minutes.
Stir in garlic and Old Bay; cook 30 seconds.
Remove from heat.
Add remaining ingredients to potatoes.
Scrape onions and oil over potato mixture; toss well, to mix.
Transfer to a rigid plastic container and refrigerate until
packing in your cooler.
Carrot Cake
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon baking soda
1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 Cups corn oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups shelled walnuts, chopped
1 1/2 Cups shredded coconut
1 1/2 Cups pureed cooked carrots
3/4 Cup drained crushed pineapple
Cream-Cheese Frosting (recipe below)
Preheat oven to 350F. Grease 2 (9-inch) layer pans lined with wax paper
Sift dry ingredients into a bowl.
Add oil, eggs and vanilla. Beat well.
Fold in walnuts, coconut, carrots and pineapple.
Pour batter into the prepared pans.
Set on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until
edges have pulled away from sides and a cake tester inserted in
center comes out clean.
Cool on a cake rack for 3 hours.
Fill cake and frost sides with cream-cheese frosting.
Cream-Cheese Frosting
2 (8 ounce packages) cream cheese, at room temperature
12 Tablespoons unsalted (sweet) butter, at room temperature
6 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream together cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl.
Slowly soft in confectioners' sugar and continue beating until
fully incorporated. Mixture should be free of lumps.
Stir in vanilla.
Visit:
for free, original DHTML scripts and components,
all of which utilize the latest in DHTML and JavaScript technology!