When King Ludwig I of Bavaria married in 1810, he invited his entire homeland to celebrate the occasion. The young princess bride, Therese von Sachsen-Hildburg-hausen, shared her wedding reception with townspeople from every corner of the country.
A smashing success, the event was remembered a year later with an anniversary picnic and horse race - and another unlimited guest list.The celebration continued and expanded into an annual event that became known as Oktoberfest.
If the royal pair attended the present-day festivities in Munich, they'd be unable to count the throngs who join in the Oktoberfest merrymaking on Maria Therese Meadows.
Crowds will join local burgermeister (mayor) Horst Young as he uncorks the 20th annual Oktoberfest at Snowbird.
Young and his wife, Marianne, who operate Marianne's Delicatessen in Salt Lake City, will be clad in German dress and ready to share the traditional German festival menus.
Oktoberfest at Snowbird kicks off on Labor Day weekend, Sept. 5-7. Activities run from noon to 6 p.m. each day. The Old World celebration continues at the resort every weekend through Oct. 18. Admission to the events is free.
In addition to a varied selection of German sausages and sauerkraut, potato pancakes and potato salad will fill the plates of festivalgoers. A sampling of traditional desserts like apple strudel, German chocolate cake or Black Forest cherry cake will complete the ethnic-influenced menu, according to Snowbird executive chef, Brian Florida.
After a hearty lunch, Oktoberfest participants will enjoy the talents of Art Brogley, a champion yodeler who is returning to the anniversary festival.
"Brogley, a former Utah resident, participated in the first celebration," says Mary Anne Farrier, public relations director at Snowbird. "We're thrilled that he is able to come from California this year."
Brogley will perform on the second weekend of Oktoberfest, Sept. 12 and 13.
Music throughout the festival will be provided by a variety of performers including the Bavarians, a group started by the festival originator, Horst Fiedel, yodeler Kerry Christensen, the International Folk Ballet and the Rocky Mountain Polka Express.
Games and contests will be available for all.
Horst Young recalls the first local commemoration of Oktoberfest held at the ski resort in 1972.
"We had only a handful of people and a few sausages," he laughs. "We cooked on only one grill for everybody."
Now the plaza holds nearly 2,000 people on each day of the celebration.
"People discovered how much fun Oktoberfest can be," says Marianne. "We've built a tradition of good food and entertainment that brings the same folks back year after year. In fact, lots of people you see every weekend of the celebration."
The Youngs share their famous sausages, including the festival specialty, weisswurst, a fresh veal and pork combination that fills a chewy sandwich bun.
Knackwurst, a plump, seasoned hotdog is also popular, but Young's bratwurst keeps the deli lines lengthy.
"Horst is known as the `king of bratwurst,' " says Marianne.
Others would agree.
The German-born sausagemaker stuffs more than 600 pounds of sausage a week.
Horst got into the casing packing business by accident.
"I had another job and Marianne worked with her mother at the deli," he says. "Then she got sick and I had to keep the business open."
"When he realized how hard I worked," Marianne explains, "he quit his other job and came to help me."
Horst studied sausagemaking with a German butcher and friend of the family.
"He taught me the old-fashioned ways," Horst says, "and I still use them. I think I'm the only one who still makes sausages with fresh milk and fresh eggs as a binder."
The East German natives escaped their homeland in 1950, a journey they made by night in a downpour of rain when Marianne was eight months pregnant.
"It rained buckets that night," Marianne recalls, "but they were buckets from heaven that allowed us to pass through the mine fields and barricades to freedom."
Freedom that's allowed the Youngs to maintain their ties to Germany but to piece together a new life in America.
Life in America brought business success as the original investment in a corner butcher shop expanded, moved four times and settled at the present location of the delicatessen on 200 South.
The deli business was nothing new to Marianne, who grew up in food-related pursuits.
"I tell you I was working behind the counter of my father's candy store when I was six years old," she says. "As soon as I could ride a bicycle, I was delivering rolls. I remember weighing out 500-gram bags of sugar, salt and flour for the customers. I couldn't fold and seal the bags, but I knew how to fill and weigh them."
Marianne and Horst practice filling their customers with German-inspired delicacies every day at the restaurant, but gratefully, the scale is missing from the front entry hall.
RECIPES LISTED:
TREES IN A BROCCOLI FOREST
Dipping Sauce:
1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1/4 cup light dairy sour cream
2 teaspoons honey
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
Broccoli trees:
2 carrots, peeled
3 cups broccoli florettes
4 cherry tomatoes, quartered
3 tablespoons parsley leaves
To prepare dipping sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl.
Hold carrots against cutting board and trim off ends.
Cut each in half, crosswise, then lengthwise to make four pieces.
Arrange each plate by putting two carrot pieces side-by-side in the center. Arrange broccoli around the carrots forming a cluster. Arrange the tomato at the top of the plate. Spoon dip around the base of carrots and sprinkle with the parsley. Serves 4.
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
- Nutrition per serving: 84 calories, 3 grams protein, 2 grams fat (2 grams saturated), 12 grams carbohydrate, 74 milligrams sodium, 1 milligram cholesterol.
CRUNCHY VEGETABLE BURRITO BANDITOS
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded low-fat Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup nonfat ranch salad dressing
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
4 7-inch flour tortillas
1 cup torn iceberg lettuce, bite-size pieces
In a mixing bowl, combine carrots, broccoli, cauliflower and onions with cheese, dressing and chili powder.
Lay tortillas flat on the counter and spoon about one-half cup vegetable mixture and one-fourth cup lettuce down center. Wrap each tortillas around vegetable mixture. Serves 4.
Preparation time: 15 minutes.
- Nutrition per serving: 204 calories, 10 grams protein, 7 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 22 grams carbohydrate, 323 milligrams sodium, 20 milligrams cholesterol.
GULF COAST EGGPLANT WITH CRAB
3 small or 2 medium eggplants
4 tablespoons butter (or margarine) divided
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup finely chopped or slivered red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1 to 1 1/2 cups soft French bread crumbs, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
2 eggs, beaten slightly
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound crab meat or 1 pound chopped cooked shrimp
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Chopped parsley
Wash and dry eggplants. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; place eggplants on a baking pan and bake about 35 or 40 minutes or just until tender. Remove from oven, cut in half lengthwise and cool. With a spoon or sharp knife, scoop out pulp, leaving a half-inch shell. Chop or mash pulp.
While eggplants are baking, saute garlic, green onion, celery and bell pepper in 2 tablespoons butter until soft but not browned. Remove from heat and combine with eggplant pulp and all remaining ingredients except one-half cup bread crumbs, remaining butter and cheese. Mix lightly and taste to correct seasonings.
Spoon fill loosely into reserved eggplant shells. Top with remaining bread crumbs and dot with remaining butter.
Arrange filled shells on an oiled shallow pan; do not crowd. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake about 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and lightly browned. During the last 5 to 6 minutes, sprinkle with cheese. Serve garnished with chopped parsley. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Note: This filling can also be baked in a buttered casserole dish instead of the eggplant shells, but the kids will think eggplant boats are more fun.
SAUERKRAUT
1 can (24 oz.) sauerkraut
4 slices bacon
1/2 cup beef stock
1 medium potato
1/2 cup white wine or additional stock
1/2 teaspoon ground caraway Dice, cook and drain bacon. Grate potato. Drain and rinse sauerkraut. Mix all ingredients and cook, simmering until potato is tender. Makes 10 servings.
- Each serving contains 38 calories; 1 gm fat; 638 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.
POTATO SALAD
10 large potatoes
2 medium onions
1 cup pickle relish
11/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and cook potatoes. Finely dice onions. Combine all ingredients; adjust seasonings to taste. Makes 10 servings.
- Each serving contains 345 calories; 13 gm fat; 499 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol.
POTATO PANCAKES
10 large potatoes
1 medium onion
1/2 cup green onions
5 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
Dash of nutmeg
Peel and grate potatoes. Par cook potatoes; drain and cool. Add remaining ingredients; mix gently. Fry until golden brown. Serve with sour cream and applesauce if desired. Makes 10 servings.
- Each serving contains 243 calories; 3 gm fat; 47 mg sodium; 64 mg cholesterol.
BLACK FOREST CAKE
4 1/4 cups sugar
6 1/4 cups cake flour
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups cocoa
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 2/3 cups milk
15 eggs
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 cups cream, whipped
1 jar (12 oz.) cherry jam or preserves
Chocolate shavings
Combine sugar, flours, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt; blend in milk and eggs. Pour batter evenly into 4 greased and parchment-paper lined 9-inch round pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool slightly, remove from pans and freeze. (Only three of the four layers will be used; one is extra.)
Make a simple syrup of boiling water and 1 cup sugar. Cook until sugar is dissolved.
Moisten the three layers with simple syrup. On top of bottom layer, make three rings of whipped cream. Between rings fill in with cherry jam or preserves. Repeat whipped cream rings and cherry jam on middle layer. Leave top layer plain; stack layers. Frost top and sides with whipped cream. Garnish sides with chocolate shavings. Make rosettes on top edge of cake and place a cherry in the middle of each rosette. Place remaining chocolate shavings on the center of the top layer. Makes 1 three-layer cake or about 16 servings.
- Each serving contains 709 calories; 19 gm fat; 495 mg sodium; 241 mg cholestoral.