What the heck is a dirndl?
“A dirndl is a feminine dress which originated in German speaking areas of the Alps. It is traditionally worn by women and girls in Bavaria (south-eastern Germany), Austrial, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and Alpine regions of Italy. A dirndl consists of a close-fitting bodice featuring a low neckline, a blouse worn under the bodice, a wide high-waisted skirt and apron.” Wikipedia
This afternoon I got out my three dirndl dresses. I can’t even believe I have one, let alone three. I am mostly Irish, Scottish, and a little Eastern European without a drop of German blood in me. Marty, however, was born in Germany and came to the states when he was young. Still, I never thought just because I married a German; I would ever have a dirndl.
When we started The Vermont Spätzle Company over four years ago, I saw a dirndl in my future. Spätzle is a German egg noodle from the Bavaria section of Germany, just like dirndls. In the first year of our business, we were invited to Oktoberfest Vermont in Burlington, VT. This was our big chance to introduce our spätzle to a lot of people. We served hot spätzle bowls; with butter, gravy, or cheese. Many people got everything on their spätzle, making German poutine. We also had a dessert spätzle with Nutella on top.
We had a lot to prepare for Oktoberfest, but one thing I needed to get was a traditional German dress or a dirndl. My first one was all cotton and a bitch to keep clean and iron. It was uncomfortable as hell! Those two nights of Oktoberfest were so busy; we had a mile-long line all night; I didn’t have time to think about being uncomfortable. We were the hit of the festival, and it was fun!
We were invited back to Oktoberfest Vermont, plus another Oktoberfest in Glennville, NY. Again, we were the hits of the festivals, but it was exhausting since we had wholesale customer orders to fill. I learned from the previous year I needed to get a real dirndl, the kind that the women who worked in beer halls in Germany wore. These dirndls were made of polyester, which made the dress easy to wash and no ironing! The fabric has some give to it, making it more comfortable and pockets.
I also wore my dirndls to another Oktoberfest in Bennington, VT, The Vermont Cheesemaker Festival, voted as one of the top 10 foodie events in the country and won the best artisan food award. We also participated at the Taste of Vermont and won another award for best presentation. Every award we won was a complete shock to us, and we felt very blessed and grateful; so many people love our product.
So now I own three dirndls…my original hunter green one, a red one, and a black one. Even though I am wearing color, my black, bad-ass dirndl is my favorite and the most comfortable since it’s longer in length. Bending over digging out spätzle packages from coolers requires a longer dirndl from past experiences.
So at 4:30 am tomorrow, I’ll be stuffing myself into my dirndl to celebrate Oktoberfest at the Troy Farmers Market. I will be packing a change of clothes with me for after the market; I’ll be more than ready to rip the dirndl off after having it on for 9 hours. The hour-long drive home would put me right over the edge. Lol!
It’s funny; looking at the photos I posted, I look exhausted in every one of them. Happy Friday…enjoy your weekend, guys!
Great memories of Beer Festival in Burlington with you. I remember I had to go to Lowe’s before the event in my Lederhosen to buy a tarp for the floor in your booth (city health department requirement) and everyone at Lowe’s was looking at me in my Bavarian outfit.
I also recall the nasty wind storm that cut the event short one year. Serving Spaetzle in a tornado.