Editor's note
Oktoberfest officially began in 1810, but the harvest celebration had been going on for centuries. Because of its long existence, there are many different myths surrounding the celebration. Often when we think of Oktoberfest, foods like bratwurst, sauerkraut, and apple strudel come to mind. For beverages, we often conjure up pilsners and hefeweizens, massive beer tents, and dirndls.
A Personal Journey Through German Culture
Due to our family's German heritage, I had the opportunity growing up to visit various relatives who, by that time, were spread throughout Germany and other countries. I was amazed back then by the different dialects, food, and drink. I was reminded that Germanic peoples go back to early history, and there were many different cultures and tribes with connections to each other and a host of civilizations whose beginnings go back to at least the second century BC. The Franks, Goths, Saxons, Visigoths, and Vandals are just a few. One of the most famous Frankish kings was Charlemagne.
While Germanic peoples have centuries of history, Germany as a country is relatively young, forming in 1871 and filled with many of these different Germanic traditions. I remember the contrasting dialects and thinking that the food in Northern Germany was quite different from the South (at that time, Eastern Germany was sealed off as part of the Soviet Union). While beer is prevalent throughout Germany, their style can differ, ranging from Bavarian pilsners to Kolsch Ales in Cologne. Even the same style of beers can be diverse, from Munich-style wheat beers in the south to “Berliner Weiss” or soured wheat beers in the north, and they are not too different from their neighbors in Belgium with their “wit” beers. In some places in Germany, wine and schnapps are just as prevalent as beer, especially in the Mosel and Rhine regions. Think Riesling wines and “Apfel Schnapps!”
Celebrating Oktoberfest: A Fusion of Traditions
In the fall, one of our favorite seasonal History of Food Dinners we do each Thursday is the “Myths & History of Germany Food & Beer.” For example, several myths about staple German foods such as schnitzel and sauerbraten are that they are always cooked and prepared the same way. The variations can be immense - and worthy of a tasting!
For example, my family makes sauerbraten (translated as a marinated roast) by soaking the bottom round of beef for several days in vinegar with seasonal vegetables. You then roast it for hours and thinly slice it (check out the recipe in our Common Roots Cookbook). However, variations in other parts of Germany can include ginger snaps, which gives it a completely different taste.
Same with schnitzel, in Germany, some are deep-fried, others sauteed, and even what protein is used can change from chicken to pork and veal. Our famous Lodge schnitzel is hand-cut, hand-pounded, hand-covered in breadcrumbs, and sauteed with our secret ingredients! We also do a salmon schnitzel you won’t find anywhere else. But the differences do not stop there; depending on where you are, they have different toppings, from “Jager schnitzel” with forest mushrooms to “Ala-Holstein” with a fried egg on top.
Germany boasts over 1,500 sausages whose tastes can be quite different
So it should come as no surprise that how Oktoberfest is celebrated can vary with different foods, beverages, and traditions. Staples are there, such as beer and wursts (sausages), but remember, I have heard it said that Germany boasts over 1,500 sausages whose tastes can be quite different, not only by how they are cooked and served, but what they come with! Bratwurst, Frankfurter Würstchen, Weisswurst, Blutwurst, Leberwurst, and Thüringer Rostbratwurst are regional German specialties.
One of my favorite German myths is about Riesling wines. Maybe it's because I am the head librarian for our Speakeasy, ah library, with its hidden beer and wine cellar, which is the rare best cellar collection.
Many perceive German Riesling wines to be sweet. First, different German regions grow riesling wines from the Mosel to the Pfhalz and the Rheingau, which produce distinct varieties due to their different climates. Second, there are often different harvests of the riesling grape, the early ones being a bit drier while the late harvests are sweeter.
One of Cathy’s favorite German rieslings is labeled as “troken” or dry. Their wonderful acidity and effervescence greatly complement the beautiful fruit, making for an excellent, complex, thorough semi-dry wine.
Our Adirondack Harvest Oktoberfest
We are celebrating this rich history and diversity of German food, beer, wine, and spirits as part of our fall Adirondack Harvest Oktoberfest. Experiences include Taste of Germany dinners, Myths & History of German Food History experiences, two special Oktoberfest brunches, History of German Beer tastings, German cooking classes, and more. All this occurs amidst spectacular fall foliage with a picturesque beach for paddling, the new Adirondack Rail Trail, which goes through our 25 acres, Stagecoach Rides with Lucky Clover Farms, and so much more!
Schuss und Auf Wiedersehen!