Incarnation Does It Again!

You guys may remember my post from last year about Incarnation Lutheran's first annual Oktoberfest.  It was one of the most impressive events I'd been to in all of Columbia.  Because of that, I've eagerly awaited their second annual Oktoberfest, which finally got here this past weekend.

My buddy Andy (left) is a very convincing Martin Luther!

 
The festival opened on Friday and ran through Sunday.  Once again, it was fantastic!  If you live in Columbia and haven't been yet, you simply must put it on your calendar for 2013 and beyond!  It is one of our best festivals, by far.  Incarnation goes all out and really delivers.  An awesome bier garten, schnitzel plates with your choice of homemade red cabbage, sweet & sour green beans, spaetzel or potatoes with onion and bacon. You can actually see the full menu by clicking here. If schnitzel isn't your bag, choose from bratwurst or simple hot dogs for the kids.  And speaking of the kids...the festival takes place in the backyard of the church.  So, they have their playground back there, jump castles, and a live German band, which just gets kids moving. It always does.  In fact, the Vivver was all over the dance floor until about 9:30! I mean, really what kid doesn't love the Chicken Dance?  What adult for that matter?

My mom and I shared a jaeger schnitzel plate with potatoes, cabbage and we added an additional side of green beans.  The schnitzel is made with pork and was a tender, high quality cutlet.  The sauce was packed with mushrooms and flavor.  The beans were delightfully sweet and sour, and the cabbage was nicely pickled but had a more subtle, light flavor than what you're probably used to.  The potatoes, onion & bacon dish was magnificent.  I would've eaten it with a shovel, if they'd provided me with one.  That's not weird, right? 

Woefully, I ran out of my house this year sans iPhone so I have no photographic evidence of this year's fest.  I guess I was so eager to get my schnitzel on, I lost all sense of reason. No biggie though.  It's not like schnitzel is the most photogenic meal out there, but man is it delish. Like, with a capital D and a capital ISH.  

The festival features free admission, $3 gets kids unlimited time in the jumpy things, beer and wine are reasonably priced, the food is awesome, the bands are fun and the atmosphere is one of happiness and frivolity!  If you haven't checked out this festival, I'm telling you PUT IT ON YOUR  CALENDAR!  If you don't, you're just cheating yourself out of a good time.

Oktoberfest!

I've never had the pleasure of experiencing Oktoberfest in Munich, but one day.  Until that day arrives, I have to rely on Oktoberfest celebrations by my fellow German-Americans.  They range from beer specials at a bar to a bier garten set up under a tent.  Well, this weekend, Columbia hit the motherlode.  I mean, major.  Surely everyone has seen the signs and ads around town about Oktoberfest at Incarnation Lutheran Church.  I admit, when I saw that it was being held at the church, I assumed it would be an Oktoberfest-themed party sans bier.  I was wrong.  Delightfully wrong!

My best friend attends Incarnation and enlightened me to their plans.  

Eugenie & her beautiful daughter (my god-daughter)

This church invested in major kitchen renovations and additions to prepare for this festival.  Church members were there Thursday night pounding out cutlets for schnitzel.  Tents were pitched, a dance floor laid down, T-shirts made and the bier wagon came rolling in.  

This festival was OUTSTANDING, people.  I was blown away.  Incredibly impressive.  

There were German bands, Hefeweizen, Beck's, riesling, brats, schnitzel, spaetzle, frankfurters (yeah, with the crunchy casing), pretzels, sauerbraten.  

Accordions, clarinets, tubas!

I know a good bier when I see it

The food was all cooked by church members, no restaurants assisted.  I ordered the Jaeger schnitzel plate which consisted of the schnitzel, of course, sweet & sour green beans and potatoes with bacon.  This rivaled any German fare I've had in a restaurant.  And, I was amazed by how smooth an operation they were running.  They were able to accept debit cards at the food tent, plates were put together and served quickly, they had two large tents set up with tables.  These were on either side of the stage and dance floor so you could eat and still enjoy the entertainment.  

Sorry this doesn't look so good; it was getting dark

My little one probably had the most fun she's ever had at a public festival.  First, she bee-lined to the bounce house.  Next, she joined kids on the church playground and was content there for a good hour and a half.  We got her to sit down briefly to eat.  She was kinda weirded out by the casing on the hot dog, so I peeled it off and she ate every last bit of it.  Then, she announced, "I want to go on the dance floor!"  She got out there and started dancing to that oompa music as if she'd been doing it her whole life. I joined her for a few dances, but she really preferred working solo.  At one point, the singer asked for a "Chicken Dance Leader."  The Vivver ran right up to the stage and was chosen to wear a stuffed chicken hat and lead the chicken dance.  I was a proud mama indeed!  Unfortunately, this all occurred after dark, so the iPhone wasn't able to capture any usable photos.  

Hats off to the people of Incarnation Lutheran.  Their Oktoberfest was one of the best festivals I've been to in a long time and I'm delighted to know that they plan to make it an annual event.  Very, very impressive get-together.  If you missed it, make sure you get there next time.  

Auf Wiedersehen!

Cabbage: A new lease on life

I've always liked cabbage, which means I realize I've always been in the minority. Even as a kid, I liked it and that was plain ol' boiled cabbage with salt on it.  Then, as a teenager, my mom told me that cabbage requires more calories to digest than it contains.  That's when I bought stock in cabbage.com. 

Did someone say beer and more beer?

Yesterday was a big day for beer drinkers here in good ol' Metro Columbia.  The World Beer Festival took place at the Convention Center.  When Neil and I met, we were both pretty regular and accomplished beer drinkers. Over the years, we've pretty much evolved into winos, but both of us still know and appreciate a good beer when we taste it.  This year's festival was our 3rd.  If you've never been, you should put this on your calendar for next January.  

It's a really well done festival.  There are beer vendors on both floors of the Convention Center, live bands, food booths from area restaurants and lots of swag.  Just ask Neil....he's one swag snaggin' son-of-a...  All in all there were about 300 beers to try.  It's conducted a lot like a wine tasting.  Everyone receives a little plastic beer glass. They pour you a 2 oz taste.  If you like it, come back and have another.  But, if you don't like it (like that one that tasted like a tall drink of grapefruit peel) you can dump it in the bucket and rinse your glass at the rinsing station.  Thank goodness; that grapefruit crap was just vile.  I'm not usually one for fruity beers or hard ciders.  I did try one beer that surprised me.  It was a light ale with apple in it.  You could smell the apple and taste it, but it still tasted like a beer.


Some other interesting tastes were the coconut-pineapple mead, and a Thai ale that had hints of fresh ginger and lemongrass with a spicy aftertaste.  I like dark beers, so I always enjoy trying the chocolate porters and espresso stouts.  Neil prefers IPAs and at this festival you could probably spend the entire session drinking IPAs alone.  Lots of them!  Neil is recommending the Thomas Creek "Class 5 IPA".  This brewery is from Greenville SC.

Piggly Wiggly had a stroke of genius this year.  They sponsored the "Flavor Station."  They paired several beers with particular cheeses, sausages and crackers.   They had some very interesting combinations.  The Blue Marlin was there again this year serving up their Shrimp and Grits.  Most everyone in Columbia has had this dish I bet. What they were serving yesterday was characteristically delicious:  the shrimp were cooked perfectly and the grits were nice and creamy.  Since it's really important to keep food in your stomach while sampling 300 beers, we also had some of Liberty's blue cheese chips.  I'd love to know how they make that sauce.  It's so smooth and the flavor is super.  We came across a vendor called "Lusty Monk" out of Asheville.  They had 3 mustards to taste with pretzels.  They were so awesome that we bought a jar of each.  They are:  Original Sin fresh ground mustard, Burn in Hell chipotle mustard and Altar Boy honey mustard.  Any of these would elevate a bratwurst to a whole new level!

Once again, the World Beer Festival didn't disappoint us.  We plan on going again next year, so if anyone wants to join us, just say the word.  Cheers to you all!