OKTOBERFEST!

The first Oktoberfest was not really a festival at all, but the public celebration of the wedding of Crown Prince Luitpold I and Princess Theressa of Bavaria on October 17, 1810. Held on a large meadow in Munich, the party featured a horse race, beer, food, music and dancing.

Oktoberfests have been held in Munich for almost 200 years (with the exception of wartime). As immigrants from Germany came to North America, smaller Oktoberfests sprouted up in their communities. Now, it's Munich vs. Cincinnati, vying for the title of the world's largest Oktoberfest. In Munich, close to a million people show up to consume 10 million pints of beer, some 750,000 spit-roasted chickens, and more than 800,000 wursts and sausages.

In Cincinnati, close to 700,000 people jam the streets of "Zinzinnati" during late September, jostling to music from seven large entertainment stages, while dozens of food vendors serve bratwurst, sauerkraut and thousands of gallons of beer. These giant fests set the stage for similar Oktoberfests across North America. An Oktoberfest is brewed very much like the reddish-amber Marzen beer that was served at the Crown Prince's wedding in 1810.

What goes best with an Oktoberfest? If a stein is in one hand, the other usually holds a wurst or sausage. At the Munich Oktoberfest, the food is served in gargantuan portions: haunches of oxen and whole chickens are spit-roasted, and myriad sausages are steamed and served with sauerkraut and onions. American sausage-makers, such as Usingers of Milwaukee, Gerhard's of Napa, Bruce Aidells of San Leandro, Bradley Ogden Sausages by Saag's of San Francisco, and Amy's of New York, all make flavorful sausages -- beef, chicken, pork or veal - often flavored with fresh herbs and seasonings -- that complement the bready, malty notes of an Oktoberfest beer.

Yet in Munich, all patrons are served at tables, so by no means limit your Oktoberfest cooking to simple fare eaten out of hand. The following recipes will help you create an Oktoberfest menu that celebrates the fall harvest's abundance:

MAIN DISHES:

Wisconsin Bratwurst
Submitted by: Bob Cody
Makes 4 servings

2 pounds bratwurst
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup butter
6 (12 fluid ounce) cans or bottles beer
1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

Prick bratwurst with fork so they won't explode as they cook, and add to a large stew pot. Add onions and butter or margarine, and slowly pour beer into the pot. Place pot over medium heat, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat grill for medium high heat. Lightly oil grate, and place bratwurst on grill. Cook for 10 to 14 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Serve hot off the grill. Makes 8 servings.

OKTOBERFEST GERMAN POTATO SALAD
Makes 6 to 8 servings

3 pounds potatoes, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons dried parsley
ground black pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peeled and cut potatoes; cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain, and transfer to a large bowl. Add onions. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper. Gently stir in the potatoes and onion. Let stand for 1 hour before serving to enhance flavors. Makes 7 servings.

German Chicken
Submitted by: Lisa McKelvey
Makes 4 servings

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 cup barbecue sauce
22 ounces sauerkraut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a 9x13 inch baking dish, place the sauerkraut in a single layer. Place the chicken breasts on top of the sauerkraut. Pour the barbecue sauce over the chicken. Cover and bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and the juices run clear. Makes 4 servings.

Granny's Smothered Chicken
Submitted by: Merlene Winter
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 quart vegetable oil for frying
1 (4 pound) chicken, cut into pieces
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
8 red potatoes, quartered
3 whole cloves

In a large skillet, heat oil for frying. Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper to taste. Flour the chicken lightly twice. Drop coated chicken into hot oil slowly to prevent splatters. Fry until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in a large pot of boiling water. When potatoes are soft, remove from heat. Save the 'potato water'. When chicken is done, drain the oil out of the skillet and place the potatoes in the skillet with the chicken. Slowly pour the 'potato water' over the skillet mixture. Add whole cloves, cover and simmer. As the mixture sets it prepares its own gravy in the skillet, so the longer it simmers, the better! When the consistency is to your taste, remove from heat and serve. Makes 6 servings.

DESSERTS:

Apple Kuchen
Submitted by: Cathy
Makes 1 - 9x13 inch pan

1 (18.5 ounce) package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup flaked coconut
4 large Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sour cream
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9x13 inch pan. Peel, core, and cut each apple into 8 wedges. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine the cake mix, coconut and margarine until crumbly. Pat mixture lightly into prepared pan, building up the edges slightly to form a crust. Arrange the apple wedges on top. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle over the apples and the cake mixture. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and sour cream. Drizzle over the top of the cake. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes, or until the edges of the cake are golden and the apples are tender. Makes 12 servings.

Black Forest Cake II
Submitted by: Valinda
Makes 2 layer 8 inch round cake

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1/2 cup kirschwasser
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 pinch salt
1 teaspoon strong brewed coffee
2 (14 ounce) cans pitted Bing cherries, drained

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon kirschwasser
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line the bottoms of two 8 inch round pans with parchment paper circles. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and 1 teaspoon salt. Set aside. Cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour mixture, alternating with buttermilk, until combined. Pour into 2 round 8 inch pans. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Cool completely. Remove paper from the cakes. Cut each layer in half, horizontally, making 4 layers total. Sprinkle layers with the 1/2 cup kirshwasser. In a medium bowl, cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add confectioners sugar, pinch of salt, and coffee; beat until smooth. If the consistency is too thick, add a couple teaspoons of cherry juice or milk. Spread first layer of cake with 1/3 of the filling. Top with 1/3 of the cherries. Repeat with the remaining layers. In a separate bowl, whip the cream to stiff peaks. Beat in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon kirshwasser. Frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with chocolate curls made by using a potato peeler on semisweet baking chocolate. Makes 20 servings