Leinenkugel and Lederhosen, Anyone?

Growing up in a Filipino home and having very little exposure to German cuisine, I was intrigued by Oktoberfest. In my teenage mind--and maybe media glamorized it-- I seriously thought it was just about  beer. Later I learned Oktoberfest was originally celebrated in Munich, Germany, in 1810 as a public wedding reception for the German crown prince and princess. One hundred years later, Oktoberfest has become a festival in many other cities across the world.

While there is much imbibing, there is also an incredible amount of food. To satisfy my appetite and curiosity, I visited Schmeisser's Meats and Sausage at 7649 N. Milwaukee Ave. in  Niles, a third-generation family-owned butcher shop established in 1951.

The storefront is reminiscent of a German residence or building. Kurt Schmeisser, owner and grandson of Schmeisser's Meats founder, runs the operation. The family feel is a bonus in a world where anonymity in a supermarket is common. Their regular customers are on a first-name basis with the counter staff and the morning I visited, I heard only friendly chatter.

First-time customers to Schmeisser's might also be caught unaware that it is a "cash only" business, but being a smart business, an automated teller machine sits right by the entrance.

"We have over 70 homemade items available," said Schmeisser, "like sausages, soups, salads and our seasoned [hamburger] patties." The shop has recently added Irish bacon and Swedish sausages.

Schmeisser also proudly remarked that the seasoning was his grandmother's recipe and hasn't changed over more than 50 years. Customers in the store also raved about all the offerings, some having shopped there for more than 20 years.

Upon asking about a menu for an Oktoberfest dinner, Schmeisser quickly instructed me to try the smoked bratwurst, thuringer (sausage comes in both mild and spicy) and knockwurst. "And don't forget the beer," one customer added. A good spaten would do nicely, Schmeisser confirmed. I added some Bavarian sauerkraut, homemade barrel pickles and because it happened to be mentioned the most by customers, I picked up a hamburger patty.

My husband and I had a few friends over to try the offerings. All the meat was cooked on the grill, and made for some great pairings with a Riesling or Pinot Noir wine. My favorite of the evening was the mild thuringer; one bite and its snap would put a Nathan's hot dog to shame. The spicy thuringer also had a nice snap and a peppery tone. Both sausages were seasoned well with a surprising amount of mustard seeds.

The smoked bratwurst was also a fan favorite at my home. It had a nice smoked flavor and seasoning. Fans of knockwurst would find this sausage has excellent airy texture and a smooth bite. The burger patty was the surprise of the evening with its amazingly tender bite and a subtle sweetness among the spices used. Rounding out the dinner with sauerkraut and pickles added a great acidity with the meats. The homemade pickles had a fresh snap and were salty but light with a clean finish.

For my Oktoberfest dinner, I also made German potato salad using the Schmeisser's dry-rub bacon. Be prepared for tanginess if you've never tried German potato salad, which uses a vinaigrette dressing rather than mayonnaise or mustard.

I created this recipe with inspiration from one of the oldest in my cookbook collection, Tidewater on the Half Shell, a compilation cookbook from Virginia.

•  3 pounds red potatoes
•  ½ pound sliced bacon
•  1 large onion, diced
•  1/8 cup flour
•  ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
•  ¾ cup apple cider vinegar
•  1 tablespoon mustard seeds
•  1 tablespoon sugar
•  ½ teaspoon salt
• Pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish (optional)

Cook potatoes in salted, boiling water for 30-45 minutes or until fork-tender. Remove from heat. Once cool, cut into quarters. Meanwhile, bake bacon at 450 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Remove bacon, and once cool, cut or crumble into pieces. Reserve grease. In a sauté pan, heat 1-2 tablespoons of reserved grease. Add onions, and cook until soft. Take onions, bacon and parsley, mix, then add to potatoes.

In same sauté pan, add flour to 2-3 tablespoons of bacon grease and mix well over medium heat. Stir in vinegar, mustard seeds, sugar and salt. When all incorporated, pour the dressing over potatoes and toss until all is coated. Add pepper, mix well and serve warm. Garnish if desired.