October/Oktoberfest
It seems the month of October brings
out our need for special celebrations across the world. The fall signals that the
pleasures of summer are at an end and we must face the rigors of winter to come
Hence we have devised activities since ancient times to postpone contemplation
of the approaching change.
Our joyous Halloween celebrations really date back
to the more somber Celtic origins of All Hallows Eve, with humans contemplation
of death and the spirits of the ‘nether world’. Other old-fashioned harvest
festivals have evolved in local celebrations focused on food and fun. The
annual Damariscotta Pumpkin Festival is eagerly awaited each year by everyone
near and ‘from away’.
The most frenzied of these festivals undoubtedly is
Oktoberfest, which originated in 1810 in Bavaria as a wedding celebration for a
crown prince, However it has now evolved like the foam of an overflowing beer
stein in a colossal celebration not only in Munich, Germany, but has also found
followers in many parts of the world, including USA. The official 2 week
celebration spans end of September into October, with the spirit of it
remaining strong through the rest of the month.
If you missed an expensive trip to Munich earlier
this month, you may still celebrate at home. Traditional foods such as sauerbraten and spaetzle may be a bit tedious to prepare, but there are easy
alternatives. All you need are: bratwurst, red cabbage, potato pancakes and
beer.
Bratwurst and beer are easily obtained from the
store and the numerous Maine breweries. Bratwurst can be grilled or cooked,
though I have on good authority that bratwurst is cooked in beer if you are originally
from Milwaukee. Red cabbage and potato pancakes are especially tasty and are
not very time consuming to prepare as described below.
Wine
Braised Red Cabbage and Onions
Quarter a small head of red cabbage and slice thin
(about 6 cups). Halve a medium red onion and slice thinly. Render 2 slices of bacon in a 3-4 qt pot. Set
the bacon aside and sauté the sliced onion and cabbage in the bacon fat for 10
minutes with stirring. Stir in ½ cup red wine, ½ cup balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp.
ground cloves, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 2 tsp. sugar and 2 thinly sliced
cored apples. Cook on low heat for 20 min. with occasional stirring until all
the liquid is absorbed and the cabbage is soft. Serve in a shallow dish
surrounded by additional sautéed apple slices that have been cooked briefly in
butter with 2 tblsp. sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon on top.
Red cabbage can be reheated several times and the flavor will continue to
improve.
Potato
Pancakes
Peel 4 large potatoes, grate quickly on a box grater
and turn into a colander to drain. In a medium bowl beat 2 eggs with 3 tblsp.
flour, ¼ tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Grate a medium
peeled onion into the eggs and mix. If you like a little spice in your potato
pancakes, finely chop a little habanero pepper and add to the eggs at this
point. Squeeze all the juice from the potatoes in a paper towel and stir in the
egg mixture. Heat 1 tblsp. vegetable oil in a 12 inch pan to hot and fry ¼ cup
amounts of the potato mixture in pancake form for 4-5 minutes to a side until
browned and cooked through. Set aside to keep warm and continue in batches with
the remaining potato mixture. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream.
In München steht ein
Hofbräuhaus In Munich stands a
Hofbrauhaus
Eins, zwei, g’suffa……. One, two, drink-up…..
I. Winicov
Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and
Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website:
www.winicov-harrington.com)
