Gertrude's 13th annual Krautfest is coming in January. Tickets are on sale now for John Shields' two-day celebration of sauerkraut.
The first Krautfest, in 2003, was a collaboration between Shields and Tomislav Niksic, who was Gertrude's chef at the time, and was inspired by homemade basement sauerkraut of Shields' grandmother, Gertrude Cleary, for whom his restaurant is named.
What began as a small celebration at the restaurant's bar has evolved into a Baltimore dining tradition, a celebration with polka dancing and a full Bavarian menu of locally made sausages from Binkert's and Ostrowski's, stuffed cabbage, borscht, sauerbraten, spaetzle, winter vegetables and even "krautinis."
Krautfest is held 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Jan. 9 and Jan. 10 at Gertrude's, 10 Art Museum Drive. Tickets are $40. Call 410-889-3399 or go to gertrudesbaltimore.com.