Oktoberfest 2020

[Georgia]

I'm sure many of the festivals and celebrations have been canceled this year, however, that opens the door to start a new tradition at home! In Helen, Georgia Oktoberfest is celebrated Sept 10th - Nov 8th and in Munich, it would have been celebrated Sept 19th - Oct 4th. There is still plenty of time to throw an Oktoberfest celebration together.

Does anyone already celebrate Oktoberfest?
What do you do to celebrate?
Favorite recipes?

We started celebrating Oktoberfest at home several years ago and now look forward to it every year. Sometimes it's just a simple dinner or we invite family and friends. Potlucks are fun - giving everyone the chance to expand their culinary pallets and skills.

OKTOBERFEST PARTY SUPPLIES
Oktoberfest Haus
Shindigz
Oriental Trading
Party City

A few of my favorite-go-to-recipes:

This recipe came from Publix supermarket. It was demonstrated in-store and gave out samples. Not a huge fan of apples in cabbage but this was delicious!


Pork Schnitzel & Braised Red Cabbage

Cooking Sequence

Prepare pork and begin to cook (5 minutes)
Prepare cabbage and sides (if desired); complete pork and serve (20 minutes)

Cooking Instructions

Pork Schnitzel
Ingredients
1/4 cup flour
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 eggs (or 1/2 cup egg substitute)
4 pork cubed steaks (1 1/2 lb)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil, divided

Steps
Place flour in shallow bowl; place bread crumbs in second bowl. Beat eggs gently in third bowl to blend. Preheat large sauté pan on medium-high 2–3 minutes.
Season both sides of pork with salt and pepper. Dip 2 pork steaks in flour (coating both sides), into eggs (allowing excess to drip off), then bread crumbs (wash hands).
Place 2 tablespoons oil in pan, then add 2 pork steaks; cook 4–5 minutes on each side and until pork is 160°F (for medium). Coat remaining 2 pork steaks.
Remove pork from pan; cover to keep warm. Cook last 2 pork steaks using remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Serve.

Braised Red Cabbage
Ingredients
1 Granny Smith apple, coarsely chopped
2 (16-oz) jars sweet-and-sour red cabbage (drained)
1/2 cup fresh pre-diced onions
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon


Steps
Peel apple, if desired, then chop (about 1 1/2 cups). Combine all ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl and cover.
Microwave on HIGH for 3–5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir and serve. (Makes 6 servings.)

Aprons Advice
Complete your meal with Brussels sprouts, hearty, dark bread, and pound cake for dessert.
German potato salad is a traditional side for this popular Bavarian meal.

 

[Georgia]

This is my go-to red cabbage recipe. I make this often!

Red Cabbage

1 - 24oz jar of red cabbage
6 strips of bacon, cut into pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 cup of beef stock
1 bay leaf
Salt/Pepper/Sugar to taste

In a pot fry bacon until browned and almost crispy; drain bacon grease
Stir in onion.
Reduce heat and slightly caramelize onion
Add cabbage, beef stock, and bay leaf
Simmer for about 40 - 50 minutes or until cabbage is tender to your liking

 

[Georgia]

GRILLED BEER BRATS
12 Brats
2 large onions, sliced
2 sticks butter
Beer (approx 3 cans)

Melt butter in pot
Keeping heat down low, add onions, sweat for 3 - 5 minutes
Add brats, top with beer - adding just enough to cover brats
Simmer for about 10 minutes
Remove Brats from beer and onion mixture and place on a hot grill
Grill on all sides until golden brown
After grilling, return the Brats to beer bath until they are ready to serve
Serve with sauerkraut or onions and peppers on Brat buns
Boar's Head Sweet Pickle Chips with Horseradish make a great side

 

[Georgia]

Here's a fun one that is not a traditional Oktoberfest dessert.

CHOCOLATE SAUERKRAUT BEER CAKE
AKA {Sauerkraut Fudge Cake} {Sauerkraut Chocolate Cake} {Sauerkraut Chocolate Beer Cake}

CAKE:

2/3 cup oleo, softened (I used real salted butter)
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup cocoa
2/3 cup sauerkraut, drained, rinsed, and chopped
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup beer

Cream oleo and sugar.
Beat in eggs - one at a time - then add vanilla
Sift together the cocoa, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt
Add dry ingredients to creamed mixture with beer alternately.
Stir in chopped sauerkraut
Pour into 2 - 8" greased and floured pans (I used cocoa powder instead of flour and parchment paper on the bottom)
Bake at 350 degrees for about 40 minutes or until done
Cool and frost

FROSTING - this is sooo good!
2 (4 oz) pkg of German sweet bakers chocolate
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, room temp
2 Tbsp cream (milk)
2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Microwave chocolate for about 1 1/2 minutes - stir until completely melted - let cool a little
Cream the cream cheese then add cream/milk
Add chocolate to cream cheese
Add sugar gradually mixing after each addition
Add salt and vanilla, mix well
Frost cake as soon as possible - frosting sets up quickly

 

[Georgia]

Oh, you can't forget the POLKAS!!!

Stream Polka | Free Internet Radio | TuneIn

Listen to Stream Polka here on TuneIn! Listen anytime, anywhere!

tunein.com

Polka Radio Stations

Listen to 8 Polka Radio Stations. The Polka is a type of dance and a form of dance music which is acquainted with Europe and the Americas. Polka developed in the 19th century in Central Europe and as a Folk music genre it still remains popular in much of Europe in which it is performed by Folk...

www.internet-radio.com

WRJQ Goodtime Radio | Polka Music 24 hours-a-day | Appleton, WI

WRJQ Goodtime Radio plays POLKA MUSIC 24 hours-a-day from studios in Appleton, Wisconsin.

wrjqradio.com

Polka Bob's Polka Radio Locator

Where to find polka radio stations by state.

www.radio4polkas.com

 

[PamelaG]

What great resources! Thank you for sharing.

 

[halimer]

For years DH and I went to Oktobefest Festivals but haven't for a long time. Probably time to start again.

Do you live in/near Helen? I have friends in Blairsville and Young Harris which are somewhat nearby. It is a lovely area.

 

[luludou]

Nope to all of the above but these are great links and a GREAT idea! Thanks so much Georgia

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Thanks for sharing the music links! They are new to me. We are of German descent so we tend to eat German American style foods throughout the year. I do make more German foods (pork, spaetzle, Cabbage/sauerkraut) in October and take advantage of what the grocery stores bring in then. We bring out the German decor from trips to Germany and gifts from our German visitors.

 

[Georgia]

@halimer I live about 3-4 hours south of Helen. We've only been once and on a whim with no planning - had a nice time even though it was hot. I don't drink so our stay was mostly exploring the town, shopping, and eating. We want to go again, but thinking maybe later in the season when its cooler.

@Holiday_Mom You're welcome! Are you a fan of polkas? I love polka music! I have fond memories of spending time in my Grandfather's workshop watching him work and listening to him sing along with the polka songs on the radio. It was a real treat when he and some other families from the patch would get together and play polka music.

I'm a smidge German but that side of the family didn't really hold on to their heritage, let alone pass it down. I'm of the Heinz 57 descent. I grew up predominantly Polish-Slovak with a heavy influence of Hungarian, Russian, Ukrainian, and Czech. Over the past several years, I've been exploring and adding more German dishes to our regular rotation.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

I'm not much of a fan of traditional polkas. I have danced to it though when going to my neighbor's house when he had parties. He was of Polish descent. I do enjoy listening to the German style that is heard at Epcot.

 

[missjane]

No Oktoberfest celebrations near us, but I would love to go to one someday.

We always thought we were of German descent from my Daddy's maternal side of the family due to his mom's maiden name. He was put into an orphanage at the age of 9, so we didn't have anyone to really talk to and ask about it.

One of my sisters and I have had DNA testing done...found out we're mostly Scottish and Irish! lol

 

[Georgia]

I've always wondered how accurate those DNA testing kits were or which company was reputable, giving the ancestry/DNA trend.

I don't remember where my sister ordered her test from but it had her all over the world. Some crazy, hard to believe results like 30% Nigerian, 28% Asian, and 6% Middle European. My family is primarily European - with a lengthy Polish lineage.

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I grew up being told I was 25% Norwegian and 75% Swedish (like my older brother who is). DNA showed I was half Polish and some Norwegian/Swedish. Turns out my dad wasn't my biological dad. Had Ancestry help track a family tree on my paternal side. They could only track it down to one of the brothers of my Uncle (was married to my mother's sister). lol Seems no one on my paternal side is doing a lot of DNA testing.

 

[halimer]

I had mine done once and I came out 97% Eastern European ( Jewish) which I believe is accurate since family that I know about is mainly from Hungary and Ukraine. DH is Polish on both sides.

 

[missjane]

I've always wondered how accurate those DNA testing kits were or which company was reputable, giving the ancestry/DNA trend.

I don't remember where my sister ordered her test from but it had her all over the world. Some crazy, hard to believe results like 30% Nigerian, 28% Asian, and 6% Middle European. My family is primarily European - with a lengthy Polish lineage.

A man who is DH's oldest brother who was given up for adoption that DH and his siblings didn't know about found DH's family through Ancestry DNA testing.

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Yes, the ethnicity results from DNA testing can be slightly different than expected. From my understanding the results are based up the comparison of my DNA to other DNA samples collected at the DNA testing company. While my paper trail and DNA matches show I descend from a common ancestor from Germany, the ethnicity results don't. At AncestryDNA, I was Irish and Norwegian. Then the Norwegian disappeared and I was Irish and British. The latest update at AncestryDNA shows Irish and Scottish. However, at MyHeritgageDNA, I have Irish, Scottish, Welsh, English and Eastern European. A lot more Eastern European people test at MyHeritage verses AncestryDNA.

 

[Georgia]

I'm thrilled for the people who find family through DNA genealogy tests and do not disbelieve the amazing stories I've heard over the years. However, I'm still firm in my skepticism of the test my sister purchased. She's not the type to do her research and I'm fairly certain her test is not linked to a genealogy site and pretty sure someone sitting in their basement printed her results out from their home computer.

It's interesting that the results differ from site to site. Will your results continually update as more DNA profiles enter the genealogy sites?

 

[missjane]

Georgia, when we saw the pictures of the man who is my DH's oldest brother, there was absolutely no denying he's family. He and DH's second brother (whom we thought was the oldest) are almost identical. Even without DNA testing, we would have know he was their brother.

That's interesting that results have been updated. I suppose I should check my account.

DDIL has two cousins who were marked by a site as sisters, but their parents married brothers and sisters. Two sisters married two brothers, so they were double first cousins. Very interesting stuff!

 

[Holiday_Mom]

Will your results continually update as more DNA profiles enter the genealogy sites?

That is my understanding.

Aldi is beginning to bring in their seasonal German foods for Octoberfest! There was a tiny display at the register yesterday and a few items in their freezer section. I think once they clear out the summer and back to school aisles, then the German foods will be put out with the other fall items.