German tradition continues with cookoff competition

BY ALICIA FEYERHERM

St. Catherine’s Christian Mothers hosted the fifth annual Katharinenstadt’s Essenfest on Sunday.

The event, held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the old Kennedy Middle school, was a German-Style Cookoff with polka music, beer and a bake sale.

The event originally started as just a bake sale at Oktoberfest, but turned into a cook-off several years ago. 

“A bunch of us girlfriends got together and thought instead of doing a chili cookoff, why don’t we just do a German-style cookoff and keep it authentic,” President Sarah Shubert said. 

The event has grown over the past five years. More than 300 people attended to eat the food and an additional 50 individuals from the Parish volunteered. 

This year an anonymous donor covered the registration fee for the cooks. 

Each attendee paid $5 and received a tasting spoon. Each stand had a bucket to cast votes for the best dish. The top three contestants won a cash prize. 

“Green bean dumplings, dumpling potatoes, really anything with dumplings are really popular,” Shubert said. 

After funds are collected, the organization chooses where the funds go. 

“Christian Mothers have always been very good about giving back to the community,” Shubert said. 

The Arc Park, Holy Family and TMP have been some of the recipients in the past. 

“It’s great seeing everyone out here,” Shubert said. “COVID put a damper and we couldn’t do it that year, but it’s amazing how we’ve come back.

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