OCTOBERFEST Historic international event now a staple in the Valley

Oktoberfest Oktoberfest

SYLVIA TURNER AND ERIC SMITH RAISE THEIR GLASSES FOR A TOAST DURING THE MIFFLINBURG OKTOBERFEST IN 2019. Inside Pennsylvania file photo

Oktoberfest Oktoberfest

Historic international event now a staple in the Valley

Story by Julie K. Mensch

n its 200-year history, in Germany, Oktoberfest

Ihas been canceled just 26 times, mostly due to the First and Second World Wars, twice due to cholera outbreaks and in 2019 and 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Munich’s Mayor, Dieter Reiter, is bringing back the festival. Reiter will tap the first keg of beer on Sept. 17. The festivalwill close on Oct. 3.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica website Oktoberfest was first held in 1810 in Munich, then the capital of Bavaria. It was conceived as a celebration of the marriage of Prince Regent Ludwig to Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghause. Opening on the 10th of October the festival concluded five days later with a huge horse race. It was so successful that the following year it was held again as a state agricultural fair. In 1881, food stands, and breweries set up huge beer tents with musicians, instead of the usual small beer stalls.

The first large Oktoberfest celebration in the United States was held in La Crosse, WI in 1961. Pennsylvania, home to so many descendants of German Immigrants, quickly joined in the fun.

One of the more atypical area celebrations will be hosted by Clyde Peeling’s Reptiland in Allenwood. Croctoberfest is an evening of live music, craft beer tasting, food trucks, and the opportunity to view the animal exhibits at the zoo.

Photo provided CROCTOBERFEST IS AN EVENING OF LIVE MUSIC, CRAFT BEER TASTING, FOOD TRUCKS, AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO VIEW THE ANIMAL EXHIBITS AT REPTILAND, ROUTE 15, ALLENWOOD.

“A portion of every ticket sold goes to croc conservation,” founder of the museum Clyde Peeling shared. In recent years, the event raised a total of $10,000 for the Crocodilian Advisory Group (CAG). Peeling explains, “The CAG supports and funds field projects in tropical countries around the world. So in addition to being fun, Croctoberfest supports local businesses and benefits crocodilian conservation”.

Multi day traditional festivals highlighting craft breweries, local restaurants and musicians are held from the end of September to the middle of October throughout the commonwealth. Don your lederhosen and join in the celebration of all things German, in our slice of Pennsylvania.

To learn more about Oktoberfest visit oktoberfest.de.

MIFFLINBURG’S 17TH OCTOBERFEST

Where: Mifflinburg Community Park, 131 N 5th St. When: September 30: 1 – 10 p.m. and October 1, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

A special firkin of Rusty Rail Ocktoberfest will be tapped by the Mayor on Friday at 1 p.m. to open the festival. Featuring German Dancers, Keg Tossing, Mug Lifting and more. No admission to grounds. Must be 21 to purchase a wrist band to drink beer or wine. Rain or shine.

OKTOBERFEST IN LEHIGH VALLEY

Where: Stacks 101 Founders Way, Bethlehem When: September 30 through October 2 and October 7 through October 9, 2022

German food and beer, live music, as well as attractions like the popular (and very silly) dachshund races, and activities for kids.

No admission fee

CROCTOBERFEST AT CLYDE PEELING’S REPTILAND

Where: 18628 US-15, Allenwood When: October 1, 7 - 10 p.m.

Craft beer, Food Trucks, Music and Crocs! Experience crocs up close with special animal encounters, and learn why crocodilians need our help. Zoo Members: $30. Nonmembers: $35.

LIEDERKRANZ’ GERMAN SINGING AND SPORTS CLUB

Where: 143 Spook Lane, Reading When: September 28: 5 - 10 pm, $5.00 per person (pp); September 29: 5-10 pm, $10.00 pp; September 30: 5 - 11 pm, $15.00 pp; October 1: 11 a.m. - 11 p.m., $15.00 pp; October 2: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., $5.00 pp

German food and beer, live music, and German folk dancing. Open to the Public - Under 21 Free

ROCKTOBERFEST

Where: Downtown Park, 1 Constitution Ave, Lehighton When: October 8 Noon - 10 p.m. and October 9, Noon - 6pm

No admission fee.

Sprecken Sprecken

Sprecken sie Pennsylvaniaish? (Can you speak “Pennsylvaniaish”?)

Story by Cindy O. Herman

Ach, we’re happy to see autumn come oncet, because that means it’s time for Oktoberfest. Bring on the kegs of beer and the oompa bands!

Most Pennsylvania Dutch readers are probably cringing already. While the Germans are known for their love of a good “bier,” the Pennsylvania Dutch are chust as content with a chilled, homemade birch beer rather than the hoppy, malty kind. Even better, a cold glass of farm-fresh melk. Mmm! But one area “Dutchified” folks don’t hold back on is food. We’ll give the Germans their bratwurst and pretzels, as if they can hold a candle to Central Pennsylvania scrapple and funnel cakes.

Now, some people might frown on delicacies like scrapple, saus and pig’s stomach, but there’s probably not a farm in Central Pennsylvania that hasn’t had its own family recipes for them, sampled and tweaked over the years.

My husband loves to tell the story of his two grandfathers, both named Clair, stirring a huge kettle of scrapple on butchering day. One would take a big taste and say, “What do you think, Clair?” The other would taste it and say, “Hmm. Needs more pepper,” to which the first would reply, “You’re right, Clair.” And on they would go, stirring and tasting till it suited them both.

People swear by the crispy, fried slices of scrapple drizzled with maple syrup or molasses. Is it made from head meat and organs? I am not at liberty to say. Is saus made from jellied meats? I am not at liberty to say. Is pig’s stomach a dish of sausage and potatoes stuffed into an actual pig’s stomach? I can neither confirm nor deny. What I will say is, if there’s a scrap of meat to be had, the Pennsylvania Dutch will find a way to save and savor it.

It might be easier to eat yourself full on some other longtime Pennsylvania recipes that have identifiable ingredients. Chicken potpie, anyone? Don’t try to confuse that with chicken and dumplings, or a chicken meat pie. Though all hearty fall fare, they are altogether different.

The main draw of chicken potpie is the doughy, homemade noodles, the thicker the better, while chicken and dumplings usually consist of a thick, chicken and vegetable soup dotted with white, fluffy dumplings. And a chicken pie is baked in an actual pie shell. Whichever one you choose, they’re good eats that will put speck on your bones.

No matter what Pennsylvania Dutch dish you decide on, you better would save room for dessert. Those funnel cakes, with their deep-fried batter sprinkled with powdered sugar, aren’t just for pretty. I can’t imagine anyone eating them and not thinking they taste like more.

Maybe a whoopie pie is more your style, not? Whoopie pies a generation ago were pretty much cakey, chocolate cookies with white filling, but nowadays anything goes. Pumpkin whoopie pies, chocolate and peanut butter, strawberry-banana, red velvet, oatmeal, even tiramisu. Folks will bake pert-near anything into a whoopie pie, even sar churries. More recently I’ve heard of boozy whoopie pies, but that takes us back to the Oktoberfest situation. To each his own, but if you can’t wash your food down with a glass of frothy cold beer, there’s always fresh, creamy melk. To your health!

HALLOWEEN TREATS

Easy-to-make ghoulish goodies will liven up your fiendish festivities

Story and photos by Jodi Schmidt

Halloween is the perfect time to be creative with treats for children and adults. These ideas are easy to make and fun to eat. Of course, you can always just put grapes in a bowl and pretend they're eyes, but these recipes will help get family and friends in on the preparation process!

WITCH'S BROOMS

● Small pretzel sticks ● Peanut butter cups (individually wrapped) ● Chocolate chips or chocolate melting wafers (¼ cup) ● Skinny licorice ropes in cherry/red

Directions: Unwrap peanut butter candies and place upside down on a serving dish. Melt chocolate chips or wafers in the microwave (30-40 seconds). Place small dollop of melted chocolate on top of the candy. Stick one pretzel into the melted chocolate and hold for a few seconds. Use one single strand of cherry Twizzler (about ¾ inch long) and wrap it around the pretzel at the base, right above the peanut butter cup. Decorate with Halloween sprinkles if desired.

MONSTER COOKIES

● Use any variety of round sandwich cookies (as many as you’d like to make) ● White melting wafers (one bag will coat 12-16 cookies) ● Food coloring ● Various Halloween candy decorations and sprinkles

Directions: Melt white chocolate wafers in a double boiler or microwave. Once melted, divide the wafers into separate bowls and use food coloring to make the desired colors for the cookie monsters. Once you are happy with the color, dip sandwich cookie in the melted chocolate, coating each side. Using a fork for support, gently shake any excess chocolate from the cookie and place on a rack to harden. Before the chocolate hardens on the cookie, decorate it to represent a monster face. You can use candy eye-balls, sprinkles, nonpareils, colored sugar, and gel icing to make the monster faces.

SPOOKY TRAIL MIX

● 6 cups of square crunchy cereal - rice or corn - or something similar ● 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips ● 1 cup smooth peanut butter ● 2 cups powdered/10x sugar ● Various Halloween candy/nuts/sweets

Directions: Melt the chocolate chips and peanut butter over a double boiler or in the microwave until smooth. In a large bowl, add 3 cups of cereal and pour ½ of melted mixture over it. Stir to coat. Add the remaining cereal (approx. 3 cups) and remaining chocolate mixture. Stir until all of the cereal pieces are coated. Once the cereal/chocolate mixture has cooled to approx. room temperature, stir in 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Add the remaining cup of sugar to the cereal mixture, using more or less according to preference in taste. Mix in any extra ingredients desired.

TOXIC WASTE PUNCH

● ½ gallon rainbow sherbet ● Various sports drink flavors (green, orange, pink, etc.) ● Lemon-lime soda ● Gummy worms, eyeballs, spiders, etc. ● Maraschino cherries (as garnish)

Directions: Place 2 small scoops of sherbet into a small clear cup. Cover sherbet with desired sports drink, filling cup 3/4. Top with lemon lime soda. Add gummy worms and other Halloween gummies, spilling over the edges of the cup. Top with Maraschino cherry, if desired.