Thursday, September 13, 2012

Guten Morgen meine bekannten,

Jawohl! It is Oktoberfest season. This has been a huge event for Germans (and lovers of good German food and beer) around the world ever since Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria announced a city-wide celebration in honor of his marriage to Princess Therese in October of 1810.

In modern times it has become more of a Fall Fest and celebration of Austro-Bavarian culture than a massive wedding reception, but the appetite for eating, drinking and partying is hardier than ever.

I will be kicking off Oktoberfest at an authentic, little German restaurant called Bierstube (that's Beer Hall) way out on the edge of rural Illinois. But it will be worth the drive because when these people say 'authentic' they mean it.

Bierstube's signature dish is their "world famous" Giant Schnitzel, but the menu boasts such German favorites as bratwurst, thuringer, knackwurst, pork shanks, Wiener schnitzel, Rhein River schnitzel (which is flambeed with cognac), as well as more gastronomically challenging items like hackepeter (which is raw, ground filet with egg yolk, chopped onions and capers; basically steak tartar) and hasenpfeffer (braised rabbit).

My goal is to get the wife to try hasenpfeffer, although it might take several steins of dark, foamy beer before she is even willing to consider it.

Fortunately there will be no lack of that with good German brews like St. Pauli Girl, Beck's, Warsteiner and, of course, Hofbraau Oktoberfest on tap.

And after dinner we will be working up a thirst by singing some favorite German drinking songs along with the live oompah band that the Bierstube recruits every Oktoberfest. The last time I was there (years ago) they boasted not only a glockenspiel but also giant, alpine horns.

If that doesn't make you want to raise a stein while wearing lederhosen, nothing will!

Eins, zwei, g'suffa!

Joe

joe@gophercentral.com

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"According to a survey by nationwide mutual insurance, 2 percent of people actually shave while they're driving. They shave! How many guys would like to be in the car with those women?" --Jay Leno

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"TLC is coming out with a new reality show about a group of Amish people who move to New York City. It's called 'Here Comes Honey Jebediah Jebediah.'" -Jimmy Fallon

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"The reality is earth contains only so much fossil fuel. So the solution is obvious. If oil comes from fossils, then we should genetically engineer more dinosaurs. What could possibly go wrong?" -Craig Ferguson

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While shopping for vacation clothes, my husband and I passed a display of bathing suits. It had been at least ten years and twenty pounds since I had even considered buying a bathing suit, so I sought my husband's advice.

"What do you think?" I asked. "Should I get a bikini or an all-in-one?"

"Better get a bikini," he replied. "You'd never get it all in one."


*-------------- Guaranteed to Roll Your Eyes --------------*
While I was dining out with my children, a friend of my neighbor, who recognized us, came over to our table, and we started talking.

He asked where my kids go to school. I told him we homeschooled them.

With a raised eyebrow, he asked if my husband is the sole breadwinner for our family.

I said, "No, I also work... but out of our home."

Then, noticing our two-month-old son, he mentioned that his daughter had just had a baby, and he wondered what hospital our son was born in.

"He was born at home," I answered.

The man looked at me and said, "You don't get out much, do you?"