In San Francisco, CA, I patronized one of the finest German eateries and one of its finest German bakeries for Oktoberfest ... and I will return before October is out here ... I had forgotten in the last twenty years that although I do not often go into the crowd, and I do not drink beer, I do love German food ... das Essen schmeckt mir so gut! Oktoberfest is celebrated in San Francisco as well which is how the eating places got my attention ... glad to learn of the history of the festival through this post.
Some of San Francisco's finest architecture, including the Golden Gate Bridge, is a contribution of San Francisco's small but mighty German and German-American contingent, and there are still several German architecture firms that are based here as well as in Germany. The Goethe-Institut here is not shy about making sure the German contribution is not forgotten -- so, natürlich, Oktoberfest and a number of German eateries still do well here also.
Wow, that is nice to know @deeanndmathews. I love how in your country its so mutli culti :) - Here German food changed a lot in the past years. The older generation still loves that tipical German food, that is also served on Oktoberfest - very meat based. But the younger generation goes way more veggie. - We eat that food maybe once a month only or for special occations like Christmas.
In San Francisco, because coastal California is so veggie-heavy, even the German food we can get here is a little lighter... at Berliner Berliner where I got my Oktoberfest full meal, I was surprised at how much cabbage and onions there were with my Berliner Döner (local take on a Döner Kebab) ... HOWEVER, the vegetables were so fresh, and a German woman of mature age took her time and prepared all of that with love ... the meat was grilled to perfection, and there was just enough of it. I plan on going back for the Bavarian-style meal to try the bacon sauerkraut that comes with the bratwurst and pretzel.
I know about the typical German food ... I am a large woman and could have gotten into it twenty years ago ... but I understand now why that is only eaten for holidays. The lighter fare lets me continue to be a little less large as I pursue my other passion beloved also by many Germans: nature. I cannot eat the heavy food with my walking schedule in the parks and up the local hills -- but the beautiful German-style veggies fit right in to my more active and lighter lifestyle!
Sounds like I should visit San Francisco one day - as I also love veggie food ;) - Yeah, we use a lot of unions and cabbage always. Döner is also one of the favorite German meals and we do everything to perfection. So many people here planing every detail (not only on food) and living up to perfection every day. We are very proud on that ☀️
Great to hear you love the food and it fits into your lifestyle @deeanndmathews. Next time I will make sure to get you some pictures as well.
Ah -- I just remembered my pictures -- my first Berliner Döner, and my first actual Berliner -- about that I must say I understand why U.S. President John F. Kennedy said, "Ich bin ein Berliner!" (OK, it was an accident: he did not know to say, "Ich bin auf Berlin," but had he not made that mistake, I would have missed the best pastry of the year, 60 years later, for I would never have known to go looking!). I was sitting in my favorite place in San Francisco's famed Golden Gate Park, and feeling every inch of Schubert's Selige Welt on the beautiful day that my eating and walking combined with these!
Lol, our Döner looks totally different! But it looks still tasty though. Berliner is just the same. Here in the south we call it Krapfen ;)
I think that because people are more used to the presentation of Mexican food in San Francisco, she "dresses" the Döner like that ... but the flavors? Definitely German!
Yes, I guess that´s exactly why. - The taste is what counts the most 👍🍺