Celebrating OktoberFest with #SundaySupper

Cricket, of Cricket's Confections is hosting this month's Sunday Supper with the theme of Oktoberfest.  According to the invitation, Oktoberfest is the longest running festival in held each year in Bavaria, Germany.  It runs from mid September through the first weekend in October so we made it just in time.

When I signed up to join in the fun and add a recipe I wrote that I would be making a Warsteiner Fondue.  I wrote that because Warsteiner is my favorite beer and, as the name shows, is brewed in Germany.  Then I went into the refrigerator to pull out a Warsteiner.  I found Corona, Bud, Bud Light, Summer Shandy....even a Red Stripe, but alas, no Warsteiner.

So I ran up to the nearest grocery store which is still 20 minutes away and, of course, they didn't have any Warsteiner.  What they did have was a Samuel Adams Octoberfest beer. This beer is described as hearty and smooth with a deep flavor and complexity.  I bought that since, if not brewed in Germany, was at least brewed in the Bavarian style.  All this to say that my recipe name is now changed to Octoberfest Fondue.

I love serving fondues and normally place them in my miniature crockpot....but of course it is packed away, along with my fondue pot and my individual crocks that I use for soup and was my next choice.  I cannot wait to get this move over and have all my "stuff" available again.

I just placed it in a regular bowl and served it up with a side of  Chicken Sausage, Sweet Peppers, HoneyCrisp Apples and Soft Pretzels. This was a prelude to a light dinner of Chicken Noodle Soup. We enjoyed it with a stein of Octoberfest beer and toasted our German son, Max, who had given us these gorgeous steins when he lived here as an exchange student.

Octoberfest Fondue

1 c. Belgian Style Beer
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
4 oz. gruyere cheese, shredded
4 oz. gouda cheese. shreddded
juice from 1/4 lemon
2 t. honey dijon mustard
2 cooked chicken sausages, cut into bite sized rounds
1 apple, sliced and tossed in apple cider
2 large soft pretzels, cut into bite size pieces
3 miniature sweet peppers, cut into quarters

Place beer and garlic into a small saucepan over med heat.  Bring to a gentle boil.  Remove garlic clove and reduce heat to simmer.  Stir in the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring after each addition until cheese is completely melted.  Stir in the lemon juice and honey dijon mustard.  Pour into a fondue pot and serve with sausages, apple, pretzels, sweet peppers and/or your favorite dippers. Print Recipe

Let's look at what the others brought to our Oktoberfest!

Appetizers (Vorspeisen)

• German Pancake Soup (Flädlesuppe) by Caroline’s Cooking
• German Potato Pancakes by The Crumby Cupcake
• Homemade Pretzels with Kids by Hardly A Goddess
• Kräuterbutter (German Herb Butter) by Tara’s Multicultural Table
• Latke and Sauerbraten Poutine by Monica’s Table
• Obatzda – Bavarian Cheese Spread by Sunday Supper Movement
• Warsteiner Fondue by A Day in the Life on the Farm

Breakfast (Frühstück)

• German Apple Pancake by The Chef Next Door
• Peach Fritters by Pies and Plots

Condiments (Würze)

• Pickled Red Onions by What Smells So Good?
• Spicy Beer Mustard by Food Lust People Love

Dessert (Nachtisch)

• Apple Tart by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Kaiserschmarrn Recipe by Plated Cravings
• Nana’s Gluten Free German Chocolate Cake by Gluten Free Crumbley
• Rote Grütze (Fruit Pudding) by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings

Main Dish (Hauptgericht)

• Bavarian Sausage & Cabbage Soup by Food Done Light
• Beef Goulash Recipe by Positively Stacey
• Beer Mac and Cheese by Moore or Less Cooking
• Berlin Potato Soup by My Imperfect Kitchen
• Bierocks by Mindy’s Cooking Obsession
• Bratwurst Sheet Pan Dinner by A Mind Full Mom
• Burgers with Bacon-Sauerkraut Jam by Palatable Pastime
• How to Make Traditional German Sauerbraten by Cosmopolitan Cornbread
• Oktoberfest Beer Brats by Wholistic Woman
• Oktoberfest Chicken Chili by Fantastical Sharing of Recipes
• Oktoberfest Fondue 3 Ways by Momma’s Meals
• Pork chops with Sauerkraut and Apples by Brunch-n-Bites
• Roasted Apple & Beer Chili For Oktoberfest by Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
• Sausage, Pepper, and Onion Kebobs w/ a Boiled Cider Drizzle by The Freshman Cook
• Schwenkbraten (Grilled German Pork Chops) by Curious Cuisiniere

Side Dish (Beigabe)

• Fried Potatoes German Style by My Life as a Cookbook
• German Potato Salad by Tramplingrose
• Ginger Beer Sauerkraut by Cricket's Confections
• Herbed Spaetzle by The Hungry Goddess
• Krautsalat (German Coleslaw) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Oktoberfest Potatoes by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks

Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.