We held an Oktoberfest dinner this past weekend. That’s because even though the name says October, the fest begins in late September and lasts for 16 days, through early October. This year it’s September 19th through October 4th in Munich, where an annual festival has been held since 1810. (It was originally held to celebrate the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria, the future King Ludwig I.)
In the beer category, seasonal beer styles are called…seasonals. For fall, full-bodied beers replace the lighter brews of summer. Three craft beer fall seasonals that immediately come to mind:

 
In addition to these styles, other popular fall beers include:

Fat Jack brewed with more than 28 pounds of pumpkin per barrel. Photo courtesy Samuel Adams.

 
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*To be labeled Oktoberfest beer in Germany, a beer must conform to the Reinheitsgebot (the German beer purity law), which dictates a minimum of 6% alcohol (by comparison, America’s Budweiser has 5%). The beer must also be brewed within the city limits of Munich.

Märzen, the classic all beer of Germany. Photo courtesy Gordon Biersch.

THROW AN OKTOBERFEST PARTY

According to us, you can hold an Oktoberfest celebration any time in October. We served an assortment of flavored chicken sausages from Bilinski German potato salad, sweet and sour red cabbage and a cheese course with hard sausage and apples. For dessert: apple sorbet with hard apple cider from Angry Orchard plus some local artisan brews.

Here are two articles to guide your party planning:

 
 
See our Beer Glossary for the different types of beer and the history of beer.

After yesterday’s recipe for spinach and artichoke dip appeared, our friend Rachel emailed to say: “I don’t like spinach. Do you have a recipe for artichoke dip without it?”

This one’s for you, Rachel: an award-winning recipe courtesy of Mooney Farms. The recipe uses Mooney’s Bella Sun Luci brand of sun-dried tomatoes (a brand we favor).
 
 
RECIPE: SUN-DRIED TOMATO & ARTICHOKE DIP

Ingredients

1. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. In a glass 9-inch pie pan or baking plate, mix the cream cheese, garlic and artichoke hearts. Use a large fork to blend together.

2. ADD the sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and basil. Stir together until well blended.

3. FLATTEN the dip with a fork or spatula, so the dip is an even layer in the pan. Sprinkle top with the Italian seasoning, and cayenne pepper to taste.

4. BAKE for 16-18 minutes; the dip should be golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

 
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*You can make your own Italian seasoning by combining equal parts basil, marjoram, oregano, rosemary and thyme. Store in an airtight jar.

In the 18th century, after the corn harvest, farmers would toss corn kernels, some fat and a little molasses into a cast iron pot. Voilà: the first kettle corn. (Today, special popcorn strains create big, fluffy kernels.)

By the 1840s, corn popping had become a popular recreational activity in the U.S. By the 1870s, popcorn was sold in grocery stores and at concession stands at circuses, carnivals and fairs. The first commercial popcorn machine was invented in 1885; by the early 1920s, popcorn machines turned out hot buttered corn at most movie theaters.

Here’s the history of popcorn.

Considered a humble food accessible to all, it now used by fine chefs as a garnish for both sweet and savory food.
 
 
THE HUMBLE SNACK BECOMES FANCY FARE

Recently we featured an elegant savory corn custard, made from fresh corn and garnished with popcorn.

While a popcorn garnish is not yet ubiquitous, it has long been a standard on cheese and beer soup. Here’s a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, who makes spicy popcorn for the garnish. But if you don’t have the time, plain popcorn works just fine.

Any thick soup—bean, lentil, vegetable—is ready to wear a popcorn garnish; as is a bowl of chili.
 
 
USE PLAIN OR FLAVORED POPCORN

A second level of fun in using a popcorn garnish: You can flavor the popcorn to complement the dish. Just a sample of popcorn flavors you can pair:

 
If there’s a flavor you want, just toss it with popcorn. Here are 50 ways to season plain popcorn.

You can also coat the popcorn in chocolate, or use purchased popcorn: chocolate-covered, chocolate-peppermint or maple for the holidays, and so forth.

WAYS TO USE A POPCORN GARNISH

Beverages: Hot chocolate, on a cocktail pick, on milkshakes

 
If you’re not yet convinced, here’s a simple way to try out popcorn garnishes:

The next time you roll down the supermarket snack aisle, check out the popcorn selection. Buy a savory (plain salted popcorn) and a sweet variety (caramel corn or kettle corn) and start using them as garnishes.
 
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*Leave off the butter and sugar, and season with spices or herbs, and you’ve got a fiber-filled, healthful snack.