This weekend is the kick-off for Oktoberfest in Germany and we celebrated a weekend early!
Over the past few years we have made it a tradition to throw our own Oktoberfest. This year was our biggest party yet!
First, some quick Oktoberfest FAQ:
What exactly is Oktoberfest?
It is a celebration that has been held nearly every year since 1810 in Munich, Germany. It is a 16-day festival that runs from late September into the first weekend in October. It was started on October 12, 1810 to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on the Theresienwiese (Theresa’s Meadow). To this day, the celebrations are still held on the Theresienwiese! In Munich, an average of 6 million people visit during this festival.
Why is it called Oktoberfest when it starts in September?
The festival was moved up to enjoy the nicer weather of September.
For the table, I used placemats that my mom made some years ago and some fresh sunflowers.
For party decorations, I simply took our nutcrackers out and put them on display. I only displayed the ones in traditional Bavarian/Tirolean costume.
I also purchased a Bavarian flag banner and hung it up high to evoke the feeling of being in a German beer hall. As you can see the banner goes into the kitchen too.
The banner was a happy mistake – I thought I was buying 10 foot banner and instead accidentally purchased a 100 foot banner. Oh well, it worked out in the end!
So, what food did we serve? Well, homemade Bavarian pretzels of course! I used my pasta drying rack to display the freshly baked pretzels.
I made chocolate cupcakes decorated in the style of the German gingerbread hearts that are found all over Oktoberfest.
I would have made the hearts, but frankly, they don’t taste good. These chocolate cupcakes were super moist. I just used a chocolate cake mix.
I also had marzipan, the chocolate hazelnut by Ritter Sport, chocolate hazelnut wafers, and black forest truffles.
Guests were encouraged to wear their traditional German wear – Dirndls and Lederhosen! (blurred faces for privacy). Here is a post I wrote about what to wear to the Oktoberfest.
The Menu
Bavarian Pretzels with selection of German mustards
Red Cabbage (Rotkohl) – purchased from a specialty grocery store
Bratwurst – purchased from a German speciality store
German Pumpkin Soup (recipe here)
Sauerkraut and Potatoes (a German potato salad, recipe from my Oma)
German cucumber salad (sliced cucumbers, red onion, and sour cream with a dash of ranch or dill)
European Dark Bread (a farmer’s loaf – from a local bakery) with a selection of cheese
Apple Strudel
Chocolate cupcakes
Selection of chocolates
Traditional Bavarian Pretzel Recipe
We have used this recipe for several years but I don’t know where we originally found it from. I have copied it below.
Pretzels (Laugengeback) Lye method
480 g all purpose flour
5 g malt extract (dry or moist) [one can substitute 10 g of sugar]
40 g butter
11 g salt
1 pkg yeast
480 g water
Coarse salt for sprinkling
For Lye Dip:
1 ½ tablespoon per 2 cups water. Food grade sodium hydroxide. Always add lye to water, not water to lye
To begin,
USE SAFETY GLASSES, RUBBER GLOVES, AND LONG SLEEVED CLOTHING. THIS LYE IS DANGEROUS.
Prepare the lye bath by placing the sodium hydroxide into a stainless steel pot
Heat the lye mixture until warm. Lye reaction will heat the pot naturally.
BE CAREFUL NOT TO BREATH THE FUMES AND WORK IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA.
Set aside and start to prepare the dough
Stir the yeast into the water
Mix flour and salt in a mixing bowl.
Form a well in the flour/salt and add the sugar to the well.
Pour the yeast/water into the well and let sit for 15 minutes without stirring.
Add the softened butter to the mixture.
Use a dough hook and run the Kitchenaid for 6 minutes on setting 2.
Some additional water might be needed if all the dry ingredients are not gathering into a ball.
Remove the dough hook and let rest for 30 minutes.
Split the dough into 12 equal parts, (about 63 grams each) and roll into a ball.
Spray the counter with cooking oil and roll the dough balls into pretzel ropes of about 24-30 inches long.
Roll in two steps so the dough can rest in between stretches.
Form the dough rolls into pretzel shapes.
Place in the refrigerator, uncovered, for 1 hour. This will build a skin.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Remove pretzels from the refrigerator and dip into the lye bath for 20 seconds (make sure both side are covered)
Lay pretzel on the parchment lined cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking oil.
Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Score the fat part of the pretzel dough with a razor or sharp knife.
Bake for 15-20 minutes until brown.
BE CAREFUL OF SPLASHES
Place on a silicone mat that is on a baking sheet. Parchment paper should be oiled as the wet lye and dough will stick to the parchment paper.
Dab the extra lye that has accumulated on the silicone mat with a paper towel.
Any lye that is left on a non-stick cookie sheet will ruin the non-stick coating.
