This is a quick newsletter because I wanted to tell you about the German and also the Canadian Thanksgiving which is tomorrow.
First a quick Vielen dank to all my wonderful Canadian German friends!
Canadian Thanksgiving Monday Oct 10, 2011 - German Thanksgiving Oct 2, 2011
The German Thanksgiving called Erntedankfest (Festival of Thanks) is usually held the first sunday of October in Germany, although sources I read say it is not a big national holiday but celebrated regionally and is not the big national holiday that it is in the U.S. or Canada.
Here is a nice video of the Erntedankfest in neighboring German speaking Austria in the Burgenland.
Gert Reitner my German Canadian friend told me that I should mention the Canadian Thanksgiving that is celebrated every second monday in October which is tomorrow. There are is a huge amount of German Canadians. The 2006 census says their are over 3 million in a country of 35 plus million! Read more about German Canadians here.
Why before the U.S. Thanksgiving?
Canadians are farther north so the harvest comes earlier. At least that is what they
told me, last night at our hotel. We had a group of Canadians (many German Canadian) so we roasted off some Chickens and made Dressing and Brussels Sprouts some common choices for the Canadian Thanksgiving holiday.
It is still quite warm here in Southern Cali. so we used a
German Recipe Brewmeister's Chicken
BBQ Skewered Brussels Sprouts
with thick slice bacon
These are a common Canadian Thanksgiving food and the bacon
gives a touch of German and they are crisp and fresh tasting ,not soggy and strong tasting
We blanched Fresh Brussels Sprouts for 3 minutes in boiling salted
water and then skewered them with thick slice bacon.
The skewers were a little small so we cut the last sprout in half
and put it on like a cap.
Brush with olive oil and dust with salt and pepper and
grill on medium heat for for 10 -15 minutes on each of 4 sides lightly browning.
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Although we didn't make Semmelknodel it is a perfect blend
between German - American or bread dressing and dumplings
Slicing the chicken off the bone, I wanted to be done before dark, but as usual
I am late, so my wife held the flashlight for folks to see what they were dishing up.
Planning a trip next year to the Munich Oktoberfest?
of Which will you attend?
There are 2 in Munich now.
The Oide Oktoberfest in Munich Germany
Click the arrow to play
Gert Reitner also emailed me and told me about "The Other Oktoberfest" in Munich that goes on at the same time the HUGE Oktoberfest is happening.
It is called the "Oide Oktoberfest" ...Oide meaning "old" in the Bavarian dialect
This goes on in Munich during the large one.
Gert grew up in Munich very close to the Oktoberfest grounds called the
(Theresewiesn) and so he remembers what it was like before it became huge and noisy and crazy.
He prefers the "Oide Oktoberfest because it brings back such fond memories.
I know where I am going!
Here is what it is all about to me and we are going in a few weeks.
Big Bear California Oktoberfest
They are singing, The Pizza Hut Song ?????
This band from Germany called "Die Mainfloesser Band",
played this Fast Food Dance Song favorite......
Shows that German music is SOO good you can sing
fast food lyrics to it and you just feel like dancing!
Get the
Lyrics here
