An Oktoberfest Feast: What to Eat at the Largest Annual Volksfest

Oktoberfest is one of the world’s largest beer festivals and traveling funfair. It’s also known as Germany’s annual Volksfest, which is held every year in Munich, Germany. The festival runs from September, and it lasts for up to 18 days to October. Locals call the festival as d’Wiesn, after a proper conversational name for the fairgrounds, Theresienwiese.

During the events, massive quantities of consumed food and beverages are by the people attending the event. In 2013, the Oktoberfest festival lasted for 16 days, and there was a total of 7.7 million liters of served beer. Moreover, visitors find various attractions to be amusing, and there’s also a wide range of traditional foods in which we’re going to take on today.

The Kartoffelpuffer or German Potato Pancakes

The kartoffelpuffer is a popular appetizer in Germany, and it’s found commonly as street food or menus at a beer garden. The delicacy is quite similar to the latkes but without the added vegetable boiling or baking soda. German potato pancakes are also a popular Oktoberfest dish as it pairs up quite nicely with a refreshing cold beer and you can easily make your own.

Across Germany, the Kartoffelpuffer is a classic famous recipe. Not only do the families cook it at home, but it’s also in most festivals in Germany. If you have attended the Oktoberfest and experienced this delicacy, you can easily make it at home and enjoy the appetizer alongside your favorite drink.

Brathendl or Roast Chicken

German locals have a saying that goes, “without Hendl, it’s not an Oktoberfest.” The roasted chicken is one of the most popular meals in the festival as there are approximately more than 500,000 Brathendl sold each year. The main component of the Brathendl, or roast chicken, that makes it so special is the crispy chicken skin full of flavors.

The Austro-Bavarian word for a roasted chicken is Hendl, and the cuisine is seasoned traditionally with salt and a little bit of parsley. During the roasting process of the Hendl, the cook will continuously drench the chicken with melted butter. Then, the cook will grill the chicken to perfection, sold as a half or whole chicken.

Obatzda or Spiced Cheese-Butter Spread

If cheese is one of your favorites, then the Obatzda or spiced cheese-butter spread is going to be your new preferred spread. The spiced cheese-butter spread is quite similar to a Camembert, a soft-aged cheese mixed with some butter, paprika, pepper, salt, garlic, and a tiny amount of beer.

Initially made to make use of soft cheese that’s already ripened, the Obatzda’s flavor improves by adding caraway, onions, and various herbs. However, some versions of the spread have included ingredients such as wine, beer, or milk-based products.

Westphalian Ham Lollipops

Another popular dish served in Oktoberfest is the Westphalian ham lollipops. Originated from the North Rhine-Westphalia, the famous food is a Westphalian ham that’s wrapped around a Black Forest ham mousse with a handle in the middle, resembling a traditional lollipop. The cook wraps all of the ingredients together to form a ball, and then it’s placed in an egg carton refrigerated for about six hours.

Steckerlfisch or Grilled Fish on a Stick

The Steckerlfisch, commonly known as the grilled fish on a stick, is quite self-explanatory and straightforward. The Steckerlfisch is marinated with special herbs and spices, skewered, and grilled to produce cooked fish with amazing flavors. It is also either dusted or marinated with flour before cooking, and it’s typically served in a paper afterward.

The fish is typically a locally found Bavarian fish, but the ingredients can also be mackerel or trout. When serving the dish, it typically has fresh Bavarian pretzel and lemon wedges that go along with it. The Steckerlfisch is considered one of the most preferred beer snacks, a perfect companion to a large cold beer.

Kassler Rippchen

The Kassler is a traditional dish on Germany’s annual Volksfest, which is a dish made out of pork that’s cured and smoked to perfection. It’s a traditional pork cuisine smoked with wood found locally, such as beechwood and alder. When serving the dish, it’s usually accompanied by a side dish that consists of either boiled potatoes or sauerkraut.

Würstl or Sausages

The German wurst, or sausages, is not typically a part of its traditional cuisine, but it’s an essential component in the national heritage. There are four classifications of a sausage, the boiled, raw, cooked, and the special ham. Varieties of the special ham are cooked, dried, and smoked ham.

Various wursts can be found and consumed almost anywhere in Germany, commonly served as a breakfast or dinner cuisine. However, for lunch, the sausages are served with braised cabbage, sauerkraut, and potatoes.

Takeaway

When it comes to the largest annual Volksfest, the first thing that the people focus on is the amount of beer they will consume on the duration. However, various German traditional foods and beverages, such as those listed above, are served on the Wiesn and some various Beer Tents.