The royal wedding on October 12, 1810 of Crown Prince Ludwig I and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen was a grand affair. Munich, Germany was filled with citizens invited to a festival in the couple's honor that ended with (so appropriately for October) horse racing. The horse races and festival were repeated the next year to celebrate the royal anniversary and, thus, the tradition of Oktoberfest began. Unfortunately the races are no longer run, but the happy tradition of beer, food and community has survived.

In our area, we are fortunate to have access to several German fall events such as Cincinnati's Oktoberfest, the world's second largest, and Christ the King's Oktoberfest, which is great fun. Sadly, they have already come and gone this year - BUT there is still one more weekend of fall festival at Marikka's on Southland Drive and on Hartland Parkway so that you can enjoy a stein and reminisce upon the motherland.

In Munich, Oktoberfest is called Wies'n and held on 103 acres for two weeks starting the second to last Sunday in September and ending the first Sunday in October which is close to the original anniversary date. This is a huge event: 7 million visitors, 6,500,000 litres of beer, 19,000 bottles of wine, 680,000 broiled chickens, 240,000 pairs of sausages, and 62,500 pork knuckles. From a food service point of view, this sounds like a nightmare.

There are amusement park rides, eleven beer tents that hold up to ten thousand people each, and parades, very long parades. Beautiful costumes, decorated carriages, harvest garlands, beer tent bands - it is a sensory explosion (especially when combined with beer).

On a realistic note, and one of which we are becoming increasingly aware, quite a bit of this year's events were affected by the terrorist attacks enacted here in the U.S. and in Munich in 1980 during Oktoberfest. Many parades, events that combined the city with the celebration, and fireworks were canceled. A victim's relief fund was established and the Lord Mayor suggested that the multinational parade should not be one of rejoicing but of understanding.

But, back home, we seem to be trudging along and we will be celebrating this weekend, October 12th and 13th, at Marikka's Restaurant und Bier Stube. Frau Irmgard Kindler will be playing the accordion quietly in the corner and waitresses, thrilled to be wearing little hats and suspenders, will bring glass boots filled with beer.

Marikka's is separated distinctly into a restaurant and a bar, if this is a concern for you, and is not very big so I would suggest making reservations early in the week. Food is also served in the bar, but we wanted to sit in the restaurant for the whole Oktoberfest feeling and we barely, only by using the magic word, got a table and there was long wait as customers filed in.

There are hundreds of beers to choose from at Marikka's and in celebration of Oktoberfest, you can choose to drink Spaten beer out of ceramic steins or a glass boot. The steins are served as 1/2 litre and 1 litre but the glass boot is a fabulous, ostentatious 2 litres of beer and I am sure will be a lovely addition to your mantle at home.

I probably do not need to tell you that this is a meat and potatoes kind of restaurant, characterized by unadorned heaping plates of food. Not only are there are nine different types of sausage dinners, served with sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, or potato salad but sauerbraten, goulasch, and many types of schnitzel such as schweineschnitzel, which is fried, breaded pork. Add mushroom gravy and you have jaegerschnitzel. Take away the gravy and add colorful diced bell peppers, onions, and mushrooms and you have zigeunerschnitzel.

There are two specific items on the menu that always grab my attention. My husband always orders Schnitzel à la Holstein (2 Spiegeleier un Sardellen) Bratkartoffeln und Salat. This is veal schnitzel, breaded and fried, topped with two eggs, sunny side up, and anchovies served with fried potatoes and salad. He loves it and most importantly, this is something that he will never eat at home, so we must travel to Marikka's. The one thing with this entrée that I will try to make are the fried potatoes. They are boiled until almost done and then fried with dill and are delicious.

The other item is the Roulade mit Speatzle und gruenen Bohnen, which a friend always orders, and is only served on weekends and during Oktoberfest. It is sirloin stuffed with mustard, pickles, and ground beef, served with spaetzle, which are German noodles, and green beans. It really is what it sounds like; meat wrapped in meat, and is as decadent as death by chocolate.

Not only is the food interesting and for varied tastes, Marikka's is casual and friendly, so, this weekend, if you have a chance, try to lift a stein or boot to Ludwig and his bride Therese, and enjoy our last weekend of Oktoberfest.

Marikka's Restaurant und Bier Stube
411 Southland Drive, 859-275-1925
4750 Hartland Parkway, 859-245-8584
Opens at 4:00, Monday through Saturday

Please email your culinary heads-ups to Karen at kworkman@aceweekly.com.