Oktoberfest

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I traveled to Berlin a while back and got to experience so many wonderful German foods. My trip also coincided with the start of Oktoberfest, a two-festival traditionally held through the first Sunday of October.

To celebrate this festival, I decided to make an array of traditional foods from Germany, including Schweinebraten (pork roast), brezen (pretzels), and apfelstrudel (apple strudel).

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Oktoberfest dates back to 1810 in Munich, Germany when Crown Prince Ludwig (King Ludwig I) married Princess Therese. To celebrate their wedding a huge horse race was planned (by Andreas Michael Dall’Armi,) and everyone in Munich was invited to participate. The royal party drew about 40,000 guests! Over the years, the festival transformed away from horse racing and into the beer-rich party lined with food stands we know and love today (more history here). The festival is still held in Munich and is generally considered the largest public party in the world.

While held annually, Oktoberfest was canceled this past year (2020) because of COVID 19. But, this is not the first time it has been canceled! 1813 saw it canceled due to Napoleon and his conflicts with Bavaria. In 1854, Oktoberfest was canceled because of a severe Cholera outbreak (and again in 1873). Money was an issue in 1923, canceling the festival (boo inflation). And, it was also canceled during WWII (1946-1948), for obvious reasons.

The German dishes I decided to make for Oktoberfest all have long-European histories. The Schweinebraten (pork roast) is seasoned with caraway seeds, a spice used in Europe since the Middle Ages and maybe Europe’s oldest spice! The dish itself can be traced back to Southern Germany (Bavaria) and was popular among the royalty as pork in the 19th century was very expensive. However, as pork has become less expensive the dish has become a popular staple of holiday dinners across socio-economic classes.

Pretzels have an equally interesting history. Would you guess that pretzels have a religious origin? I certainly did not. Records seem to indicate that pretzels, as we know them today, were a popular food during Lent all the way as far back as the 7th century. The word pretzel, used to denote these delicious bread pastries, may come from the Latin word “bracellae” or “little arms,” from which Germans later derived the word “bretzel.” It may also come from the word “pretiola” or “little rewards.” The rest of the history of this snack is quite interesting so I recommend reading more about it in the link here. Just one more thing I think is worth noting- pretzels are often served at Easter in Germany and have even been hidden for kids to find, much like the Easter Egg tradition.

What is even more fascinating is that archaeologists recently uncovered the remains of a 300-year-old pretzel along the banks of the Danube in the German city of Regensburg. The preservation, they attest, may be due in part to their accidentally over-baking.

Finally, the strudel. Strudel is an oblong pastry roll filled traditionally with apples and spices. While now synonymous with Germany, the strudel’s origins are actually Austro-Hungarian (it is the national dish of Austria) and likely developed from the Turkish baklava (dating back to the Ottoman Empire). The oldest known strudel recipe dates to 1697 and can be found at the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus (an Austrian library). The strudel came to Germany through conquest, trade, and interaction (particularly the Austrian Habsburg Empire’s expansion), at some taking on the name “strudel” which translates to “whirlpool,” likely denoting its characteristic swirl in the center when cut.

So, what do you think? Are you ready to try these recipes out for Oktoberfest 2021 (Sept 18-Oct 3)?

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Further Reading

Arthur Herman, What Life Was Like: At Empire’s End : Austro-Hungarian Empire Ad 1848-1918175 Jahre Oktoberfest 1810-1985 (German Edition) Hardcover – January 1, 1985

Richard Bauer, 175 Jahre Oktoberfest 1810-1985 (German Edition) Hardcover – January 1, 1985 German Edition