On Saturday, September 20 – Sunday, September 21, Oktoberfest at Mountain Creek Resort, 200 Route 94, Vernon, New Jersey, returns for its 29th year. The state’s largest Oktoberfest celebration attracts over 12,000 people annually with dozens of German beers, spit fire roasting, German sausages, live music, and activities for children of all ages. This year, the event will also welcome a special guest, famed chef and author Francis Mallman, who will help kick off the festivities on Saturday, September 20.
During Oktoberfest festivities, guests will enjoy German classics like bratwurst, knockwurst and weisswurst, as well as whole calves, rabbit, lamb and chicken cooked in a fire pit on the main lawn. Outdoors, food can be purchased from stands (à la carte items from $2.00 – $12.00; $50.00 Oktoberfest Bucks pre-sell for $45.00), while two dozen German beers will be available on draft ($7.00; pint, $13.00). The Hofbrau Premium Feast at the Red Tail Lodge ($15.00; $19.00 at the door) will provide great value with a buffet of bratwurst, knockwurst, sliced pork, sliced beef, pulled pork, potato pancakes, German potato salad, red cabbage, corn on the cob, and soft drinks. A VIP tent ($99.00) will offer seating and an all-you-can-eat Oktoberfest buffet with German sausages, roast pork, giant pretzels, bar service and more from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. VIP ticketholders also receive a souvenir t-shirt and 1-liter beer stein.
On Saturday, September 20, 1:00 p.m. – chef, author, and renowned expert on grilling and open-fire cooking Francis Mallmann, a native of Argentina with three restaurants in South America, will be on hand signing copies of his new book, Mallmann on Fire. At 5:00 p.m., Mr. Mallmann will also take part in a “Mallmann on Fire Dinner” in the Chef’s Garden at the Grand Cascades Lodge, featuring recipes from the booked served family style and paired with wines from Bodega Garzon in Uruguay ($95.00 plus tax & gratuity, which also includes a pre-release copy of the book). The multi-course feast will be prepared by Crystal Springs’ Executive Chef John Greeley, using the Chef’s Garden wood-fired grills, oven and smoker. Five wines will be paired with the menu, including three from Bodega Garzon in Uruguay. The event will begin with cocktails at 5:00 p.m. and dinner will follow at 6:00 p.m. The full menu is noted below…
Small Bites served Fireside with Cocktails: Griddled Red Barlett Pears wrapped in Iberico Ham… Cast Iron seared Octopus with Pimenton de Murcia
Dinner Family Style:
Rustic Bread with Flavored Oils
Shaved Hearts of Celery with Portobello Mushrooms and Meyer Lemon; Wine Pairing: Bodega Garzon Albariño, 2013
Garden Salad with Fire-Roasted Beets and Feta
Grilled Whole Snapper stuffed with Fennel; Wine Pairing: Bodega Garzon Sauvignon Blanc, 2013
Various Pork Cuts: Argentinian Beef “Parrilla” and Lamb “Asador, ” Local Vegetables “Rescoldo”; Wine Pairings: Bodega Garzon Tannat, 2012; Tikal Patriota, Malbec-Bonarda, Mendoza, Argentina, 2008
Burnt Peaches and Figs with Amaretto, Lemon Zest, and Mint; Wine Pairing: Susana Balbo, Torrontes, Late Harvest, Argentina, 2010
The weekend’s events are fun for the entire family with rides, games, live music, dancing and more. Oktoberfest hours are Saturday, September 20, 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., and Sunday, September 21, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Admission is $7.00 per person (children 5 and under are free) – food, drink, and rides are priced separately. General parking is $5.00, preferred parking $20.00. Tickets will be on sale soon. For more information, please visit www.oktoberfestnj.com.
Bon Appétit!
TAD
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