If you want to catch fun-loving Germans drinking hearty local beer, dancing and eating rich traditional Oktoberfest food, check out Oktoberfest, a 16-day festival held in Munich, Germany every October. This time-honored celebration inspires people all over the world to host their own Oktoberfest parties. Whether the festivities are large or more intimate, the food for Oktoberfest remains the same, and this simple and hearty fare is easy to prepare.
The most essential item for any Oktoberfest party is German beer. There are more than 100 brands imported into the United States, but some favorites are St. Pauli Girl, Ayinger, Dinkelacker and Pinkus. Food for your Oktoberfest party should include traditional German sausages such as bratwurst, bierwurst, bockwurst and knockwurst. Serve these sausages with a variety of mustards, as well as sauerkraut. Sweet and sour are some of the most distinctive flavors offered in Bavarian cooking and many customary dishes reflect this preference. Oktoberfest beef rouladen is thinly sliced beef rolls filled with bacon, onions and pickles.
A popular side dish is Bavarian potato salad, which is made by tossing hot potatoes in a chicken broth, onion, bacon and lemon juice mixture and serving immediately. Be sure to serve rye bread at your Oktoberfest party, as well as soft pretzels. The list of food for your Oktoberfest party should always include dessert. Black forest cake, which originated in the late sixteenth century in Germany's Black Forest region is popular, as it combines tart cherries with the German's love for chocolate and cream.
Almost as important as the food for an Oktoberfest party is the ambiance. Hold the party outside, just as Munich festival does. Bavaria's colors are cobalt blue and white, and you can add a note of authenticity by working these colors into your theme. Decorate long trestle tables with blue and white streamers, or choose these colors for your tableware. For an added touch, ask guests to arrive in traditional German dress, which is lederhosen for the men and dirndl for the women. Serve beer in authentic beer steins and give a proper German toast; raise your stein and say "Ein Prosit," which means "to your health." Above all, any Oktoberfest should be about creating a fun and relaxed atmosphere where friends can gather.
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