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Lillian ChouOktoberfest -- a carnival involving roller coaster rides, music, dancing, food and lots and lots of beer -- gets started in Munich on September 18 this year and continues through October 4.

Although the festival now starts in September in Munich and many other cities around the world, it was originally in October: Today's party evolved out of the October 12, 1810, wedding of Bavaria's Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Sachsen-Hidburghhausen. The holiday's date moved around over the years, and eventually landed in late September (beginning two weeks before the first Sunday in October) when the weather tends to be the prettiest in Bavaria.

If you can't make it to Munich this year, you can still celebrate with the following Oktoberfest menu from recipe developer Lillian Chou, plus beer pairing suggestions for each dish from Joshua M. Bernstein.

Wiener Schnitzel Skewers

About the Recipe: Who doesn't love eating crisp things on sticks? Here's a new twist on Wiener Schnitzel, the breaded and fried veal cutlets named after Vienna and eaten in Austria, Germany, Poland -- and the United States. While the traditional German garnish for schnitzel is a simple squeeze of lemon, kids (and many adults) will love to dip these bites in bottled ranch dressing.

Beer Pairing: To combat the richness of these crunchy, deep-fried nibbles, try a crisp, effervescent pilsner such as Pennsylvania's Victory Prima Pils or, if you'd like to stick with the German theme, perhaps a bright and refreshing Radeberger. Alternately, a lightly fruity, lemony hefeweizen such as Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier will play well with the citrus-spritzed wiener schnitzel.

German Potato Salad with Mustard and Scallions

About the Recipe: A simple blend of vinegar and mustard combined with mild scallions over warm potatoes gives this German favorite a brighter dimension without sacrificing tradition.

Beer Pairing: Unlike its American cousin, German potato salad eschews mayonnaise for a refreshing jolt of sour vinegar. As a pairing, turn to a stylistic mate such as the Berliner weisse. Born in Berlin, this tart, straw-tinged beer is brewed with lactobacillus bacteria, which provides a pleasing sourness. If you'd like to go for a German brand, try the Berliner Kindl Weisse, which possesses an earthy quality and apple-like flavor. In America, California's The Bruery makes the prickly Hottenroth Berliner Weisse.

Sauteed Cabbage and Bacon

About the Recipe: These two classic German ingredients go together like yin and yang. A streak of lemon juice cuts through this dish without being obvious, while deliciously balancing the flavors of smoky bacon and sweet cabbage.

Beer Pairing: Oktoberfest lagers are better known as märzens, the German word for March. That's because the beers are brewed during the springtime, then lagered in cellars and cool caves till fall, when they're released for the festival season. Biscuity, full-bodied Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen is one of the best of the bunch. It's robust enough to stand up to garlic, while meshing well with the fatty flavors of bacon. Follow Germans' lead and savor this drinkable brew in a tall mug or tumbler.

Apple Strudel

About the Recipe: This crisp strudel with meltingly sweet and tart apples uses phyllo pastry so you can make it without a lot of toil and fuss.

Beer Pairing: For this fruity dessert, you can head in a couple different pairing directions. First, try a lightly sweet stout such as the Left Hand Milk Stout. A dose of milk sugar mellows out the beer's roastiness and bitter profile, making it creamy and silky-smooth. Or, opt for Belgium's Kasteel Rouge. The tangy, red-hued brew is made by adding sour cherries to matured brown ale, then letting the mixture marinate for six months.

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