Bringing the Custom to Your Kitchen
The leaves have finished changing colours, and there's a brisk chill in the air. October is nearly over, but before November hits, we wanted to pay tribute to one of our favourite annual traditions, and one that couldn't happen this year: Oktoberfest.
The autumn tradition dates all the way back to 1810, when the crown prince of Bavaria, who later became King Louis I, was married to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. All the citizens of Munich were invited to celebrate the wedding day in the fields just outside the city gates. And even though there weren’t any beer tents, the annual Oktoberfest tradition had begun. Hundreds of years later, the city of Munich still throws a two-week long celebration each autumn, and cities around the world have adopted the beer-drinking, pretzel-eating, polka-dancing custom.
Of course, this year’s festivities were much less festive and boisterous than usual. Even Munich, the official hometown and originator of the Oktoberfest tradition, had to cancel its official public events.
Throughout 2020, we’ve been looking for creative ways to keep our favourite traditions alive while adhering to necessary safety routines. We plan to enjoy the last days of beautiful autumn weather by celebrating the spirit of Oktoberfest with authentic recipes using rich Fall flavours, and of course, beer!
Feeling adventurous? Try making some of these Oktoberfest-inspired recipes!
If our Instagram feeds are any indication of what folks are making at home, it’s clear, we’ve officially reached the Soup phase of this pandemic. And it makes perfect sense! There’s something about the sound of fallen leaves crunching under our feet that makes us crave a warm bowl of soup.
Why not indulge, and make your Instagram followers jealous with an Oktoberfest twist on the current Soup Craze? This cheesy soup flavoured with (that’s right) beer is quick to make, and sounds like the perfect, warm treat for a brisk October day.
You can’t have a decadent cheese soup without a warm piece of bread to sop up the last drops in the bowl. Crack open another bottle of pilsner to make German Beer Bread with rosemary butter.
In less than an hour, you can bake a loaf of your own flavourful bread with this authentic German recipe. It’s so simple to make, you’ll wonder why you never took the time to bake your own bread before!
As the days grow shorter and the weather gets chillier, there’s no better time to fill the house with the delicious smell of a warm meal slow-cooking in the oven for hours.
This Oktoberfest-inspired take on a classic calls for a dark German beer, so it’s time to put away the pilsner and open a bottle of Dunkel. Braised in rich, deep flavours, cooking this brisket will make your kitchen smell absolutely delicious for days afterward.