It’s Oktoberfest Time!
Today is October 1st. Whether you are of German heritage or not, it’s time to celebrate. It’s Oktoberfest time!
If you are living in America, you may well be of German decent. German Americans comprise about 50 million people, making them the largest ancestry group ahead of Irish Americans, African Americans and English Americans.
Oktoberfest is the world’s largest fair held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. If you have never been to an Oktoberfest celebration maybe it’s time to find one to enjoy. Many cities have some sort of festival or celebrations centered around an Octoberfest theme. Ocktoberfest began when Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, was married to Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen on October 12, 1810. Everyone in Munich was invited to attend the wedding festivities held on the fields in front of the city gates in celebration of the happy royal event. The fields were named Theresienwiese (“Theresa’s meadow”) in honor of the Crown Princess, and have kept that name ever since.
If you happen to like beer…especially German beer…you won’t want to miss this celebration. If your city doesn’t have one (or even if it does) you could create your own celebration right at home. If you decide to have your own celebration, break out a blue and white checkered tablecloth, as blue and white are the colors of Bavaria where Oktoberfest originated, and use any blue and white dishes or napkins you might have.
German food is much more common than you might think – or at least foods that are influenced by a German heritage. Those foods include
Hot dogs (especially served with sauerkraut),
and of course beer. Sounds like a picnic doesn’t it? 🙂 Another food you might not think of as having German roots is meatloaf.
So without much trouble you can have a party and have some fun serving your guests foods they already enjoy but may not have known were really “German foods”. Of course, there are some very traditional German dishes you might also want to try that are equally as delicious but not quite as common:
Sauerbraten (German pot roast),
Spatzle (egg noodles),
Schnitzel (a breaded cutlet, usually veal),
and Apfelstrudel (pastry made with apples)
Are you hungry yet? Get yourself a nice cold beer and start researching where the closest Oktoberfest celebration is to your town, or start planning your own German themed party. There is ALWAYS something to celebrate.
Love, joy and abundant living are calling!
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