Konditorei

AKonditoreiis a business that typically offers a wide variety ofpastriesand typically also serves as acafé.Konditoreien(plural) are found in many countries including but not limited to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Denmark, Sweden, and the Czech Republic. In French-speaking countries, similar businesses are referred to aspâtisseries.
The culture and function of theKonditoreimay vary based on locations. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and several northern European countries, it is customary to consume a portion ofcakewithcoffeeorhot chocolateon the premises.
In order to become aKonditor, the speciality baker for aKonditorei, the profession (in many countries) requires an extensive apprenticeship or speciality training program.
The primary focus of aKonditoreiis selling pastries, which may be made in-house or brought in from another bakery. They commonly also offer a selection of coffees, soft drinks, and many may also sell alcoholic drinks. Many largerKonditoreienalso serveice creamand chocolates.
Apart from its typical menu, aKonditoreichiefly differs from arestaurantin that opening hours tend to be morning and afternoon, rather than afternoon and evening.
AKonditoreiputs emphasis on the artistic aspect of the trade and, unlike abakery, does not producebreadstuffs. The craft developed when particular bakers specialised in the creation of sweet bread to which candied fruits and other sweet ingredients were added. The origin of the wordKonditor(theKonditorei's baker) stems from the Latin wordcandire, which stands for “candying of fruits”. Another derivation is the Latin wordconditura(condio), meaning to concoct (food) or preserve (fruits).
Konditoreiis the German word for a pâtisserie or confectionery shop. In Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the termkonditoriis used and the termkonditorfor a confectioner has been used since the beginning of the 18th century.
In the Czech Republic, such shops are usually calledcukrárna(sugar shop) and their Polish variants are namedcukiernia(same meaning).
The profession of theKonditordeveloped from that of thebaker. Once the bakers of medieval times (15th century) mastered the art of baking bread, some started to enrich the dough with honey, dried fruits and spices. These specialists called themselves Lebküchler, Lebküchner or Lebzelter. They founded aguildin 1643 in the area in and aroundNürnberg, Germany. At the same time, theLebkuchenbakers ran a second trade using wax, a side product of honey: they became chandlers, supplying churches and private households with artistic candles, wax figures and pictures made of wax. They carved wooden molds themselves and used these to pour magnificent pictures made of wax. A few Konditoreien practiced the sophisticated art of the chandlers until recent times. The Lebküchner were turned to confectioners later and finally became Konditoreien.
The maritime trade broughtspicesandsugarfrom theEastern worldto the famous Italian harbor towns ofGenoaandVenice. Although sugar had an immense appeal, only the rich were privileged to consume it. The profession of confectioner was related to that of thepharmacistbecause the trade with sugar was exclusive to pharmacists. The German word “Konfekt” (English: confection) to describe sweets stems from the language of the drug makers, which were also called confectionari.
In the 14th century, the Venetians introducedmarzipan, a confection made from almonds, sugar androse water, to central Europe. Marzipan was an ideal material for moulding magnificent pictures from, which were artistically painted with plant colouring and often decorated withgold leaf.
At the start of the 19th century, chocolate firstmade its way to Germany, after the ladies of the upper classes in Spain, Italy and France had long been used to a daily cup of hot chocolate. When the DutchmanCoenraad Johannes van Houtenmanaged to press out thecocoa mass, the additional ingredientscocoa butterandcocoa powderwere created. The chocolate thinned with cocoa butter was used to pour a variety of figures, and painting cakes with cocoa powder became popular. The trade of the “Chocolatier”, a Konditor specialised in working with chocolate, was born. Chocolate now played a major role in the Konditorei. A good example is the chocolate cake created byFranz Sacher, who was the chocolate cook forKlemens von Metternichin Vienna in 1832.
The abundance of sugar through the nativesugar beetin the 19th century lead to the development of cakes and pastries, with focus taken off decorative art. Lightsponge cakes, almond pastries,apple strudelormilk-cream strudel,Gugelhupf, and cream cakes were served with then modern drinks such as coffee, tea and chocolate.