Oktoberfest Treats

Arriving at the Wiesn, the first noticeable aroma is often the “gebrannte Mandeln” – roasted almonds. This is the classic snack when strolling about the Wiesn or for a late-night snack you can enjoy inside in a beer tent. Mixed with some sugar and then roasted and caramelized, the scent permeates the Oktoberfest grounds and makes your mouth water. Additionally, macadamia nuts, cashews, peanuts, and walnuts are also on offer. See a quick video here (Ganz-Muenchen.de, 2019)

Magenbrot is often offered at the same stand and is also sold by weight, but usually prepackaged. It gets its name for being comprised of several ingredients that are good for the digestive system – hence, “Stomach bread.” There are many different recipes which are based on typical Gingerbread spices like ginger, Anis, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, cinnamon, etc. (Bayern 1, .2014)

As you walk the grounds, you will see thousands of hearts made of gingerbread. While these are technically edible, most are made well in advance of the Wiesn and you might break a tooth if you try to chomp into one. The tradition is to buy one with a cute saying for your sweetheart. Be sure to ask the salesperson for the English translation since some are somewhat saucy!

Once inside the tent, the 1/2 chicken is the star of the show. In 2019, 434,988 were sold! The logistics of how this is done never ceases to amaze. Sitting in a tent with some 6,000+ people you order your “Hendl” and it is delivered to you piping hot in a relatively short amount of time. These rotisserie grilled chickens are stuffed with parsley and brushed with a salty solution. It tastes great and helps beer sales to boot! The servers like to see everyone at the table order at the same time since it optimizes their time standing in line. Your Hendl is served on a proper plate, but with no side dishes. There is a lemony wet-wipe and you can ask for silverware (Besteck) if you want, but most Bavarians just eat with their hands! It’s not haute cuisine, but Hendl is always delicious! (Landeshauptstadt München)

To compliment the chicken, you can also stop a wandering pretzel salesperson. Making his/her way around the tent, he/she will have pretzels large and small, along with a few other things. The big pretzels are made for sharing and, since you are seated with 9 other people, you should get the big one. You can read more about the Breze and its history and legends in my previous article here.

Another traveling salesman you will see is selling giant dill pickles and a plate of radish. I had only been familiar with the round red radishes which the Bavarians call Radiserl. More commonly is a plate of white, spiral cut, round slices still connected. These are made from raw Rettich which is a large, long white vegetable – in English, know as a Daikon. When you order the Bierradi, it will come with salt. Sprinkle a generous amount on top and share with your table buddies. (Preuße, Radi und Radieserl - bayerischer Rettich und Radieschen, 2020)

Sometimes, you may see people sitting at their table with a Brotzeitbrettl – a large board covered in various Bavarian snacks. In addition to varieties of meat and cheese, you will see Bierradi, Obazda and Griebenschmalz. This is going to sound a little tough to swallow, but if you give it a chance, you may find that you like it: It is lard and pork belly spiced up with some onion, apple, marjoram, salt and pepper. The idea it to smear it on a hearty slice of bread and add some more salt to it. Bavarians swear by this when the night ahead involves lots of beer! (Preuße, 2020)

Lastly, you will likely see two forms for soft cheeses. These are also meant to be smeared on a slice of bread. The white one, Frischkäse, is just a light cream cheese, but the orange colored one is the Bavarian specialty of Obatzda. The base of recipe is an overripe Camembert or Brie cheese. This is mixed with butter and some Frischkäse. There is also a little bit of onion, but then everyone’s recipe diverges – thereby every Obazda will be somewhat different. (Preuße, Bayerische Spezialitäten - Rezepte und Schmankerl aus der bayerischen Küche, 2020)

Every tent will be selling the ubiquitous Wiesn Hendl, but two of the large tents claim their own specialties. The Ochsenbraterei serves up spectacular beer dishes and Fischer Vroni is known for its Steckerlfisch – Fish on a stick.

Steckerlfisch are fish that are marinated, placed on a long wooden rod, and then roasted whole over open coals. The type of fish can be any white meat fish such as mackerel, char (Saibling), herring, or Salmon Trout (Lachsforelle). The basis of the marinade is sunflower oil and lemon, plus some other spices. The marinade is rubbed all over the fish – inside too – and then refrigerated for 10 hours. When the grilling process starts, it is important to keep applying the marinade for the 20-30 minutes of cook time. Once done and wrapped up in paper, you peel off the outer skin and navigate the removal of the bones. Known for its fish dishes at the Wiesn, in the summer Fischer-Vroni takes care of the Stecherlfisch at several local Biergärten like Hirschgarten, Augustiner Keller, Seehaus and others.

Famous for roasting an entire cow on a spit for 8 hours, the Ochsenbraterei serves up amazing steaks. During the fest, they go through 125 Ochsen and you can order three different cuts – Klassiker, Rinderlende, and Rinderfilet. The filet is to die for - pepper sauce, garden vegetables and au gratin potatoes! This is a nice, relaxed tent with bright white and blue colors on the ceiling and a peppy band. It gets a little rowdier at night, but still stays nice and Gemütlich. They serve Spaten Beer, unfortunately. Once a great beer, AB In-Bev has managed to run the brand into the ground.  But, for excellent food at the Wiesn, this is my go-to!

Be sure to check out my other articles about Munich’s Oktoberfest:

·        What Actually Happens in a Beer Tent?

·       10 Golden Rules of Oktoberfest

·       How many Tents are there at Oktoberfest?

·       Oktoberfest: Beyond Beer

·       The Weissbier Carousel

And, we do have space on our 2021 Oktoberfest Trips – both have two visits to the Wiesn:

·        10-Day Alpine Adventure Sept 11-21, 2021 Füssen – Berchtesgaden – Munich

·        7-Day Beer Lovers Sept 21-28, 2021 Bamberg-Munich

The Author

Scott Stephens is US-American and is fluent in German, having studied in central Germany. His undergraduate work was in German Language studies and European History at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan. Until Dec 2010, Scott was co-owner of a plastic molding company located in Upper Michigan and Two Rivers, Wisconsin. Now a Diplom Bier Sommelier, he lives in Munich full time and has operated BayernTrips LLC since 2005. He is the first non-Bavarian-born-member of the Aventinus-Buam. His passion for the Bavarian culture and history has made him an authority on all things Bavarian!

Vonia Stephens handles the administrative work but also gets involved during the tour. She keeps everyone together, handles all the money, and often provides an alternative program for the non-beer aficionados or those who need a break. Scott & Vonia spent several years in the hospitality industry at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, Michigan.

Together they own a small stake in Cedar Springs Brewing Company near Grand Rapids, Michigan, have two sons - 1 of whom is a brewer at Victory Brewing in Parkesburg, PA.

Works Cited

Bayern 1 . (.2014, 10 2). Warum Speisen so heißen: Magenbrot.

Retrieved from Bayern 1: www.br.de/radio/bayern1/sendungen/bayern-1-am-samstag/warum-speisen-so-heissen-magenbrot-100.html

Ganz-Muenchen.de. (2019). Merkl's Mandelküche: Gebrannte Mandeln - eine der vielen Verführungen auf der Wiesn.

Retrieved from www.ganz-muenchen.de: www.ganz-muenchen.de/oktoberfest/wiesnzelte/andere_staende/merkls_mandelkueche/auf_dem_oktoberfest.html

Landeshauptstadt München. (n.d.). Wiesn-Klassiker: gebratenes Hendl

. Retrieved from Einfach München: www.muenchen.travel/artikel/essen-trinken/wiesn-klassiker-gebratenes-hendl

Preuße, T. (2020, September 29). Bayerische Spezialitäten - Rezepte und Schmankerl aus der bayerischen Küche

. Retrieved from Obazda Rezept - das Original selber machen: www.bayerische-spezialitaeten.net/rezepte/obazda.php

Preuße, T. (2020, September 29). Griebenschmalz - bayerisches Schweineschmalz

. Retrieved from Bayerische Spezialitäten - Rezepte und Schmankerl aus der bayerischen Küche: www.bayerische-spezialitaeten.net/schmankerl/griebenschmalz.php

Preuße, T. (2020, September 29). Radi und Radieserl - bayerischer Rettich und Radieschen

. Retrieved from Bayerische Spezialitäten: www.bayerische-spezialitaeten.net/schmankerl/radi-radieserl.php