Konditorei

Konditorei is the German word for a pâtisserie or confectionery shop. A Konditorei typically offers a wide variety of pastries and typically also serves as a café. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Israel it is a very popular custom to go to a Konditorei to have a cake and some coffee or hot chocolate mid-afternoon. A similar culture is present in several northern European countries influenced by central European trends, such as Sweden (called konditori or kafé).

The primary focus of a konditorei is selling pastries, which may be made in-house or brought in from another bakery. They commonly also offer a selection of coffees and soft drinks, and many may also sell alcoholic drinks. Apart from its typical menu, a konditorei chiefly differs from a restaurant in that opening hours tend to be morning and afternoon, rather than afternoon and evening. Many larger konditorei also serve ice cream.

A konditorei puts emphasis on the artistic aspect of the trade and, unlike a bakery, does not produce breads. 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 word Konditor (the Konditorei’s baker) stems from the Latin word candire, which stands for “candying of fruits”. Another derivation is lat. conditura, ae, f (condio) = to concoct (food), preservation (of fruits)

In Norway, the word is spelt konditori and the term konditor for a confectioner has been used since the beginning of the 18th century.

The profession of the Konditor developed from that of the baker. Once the bakers of medieval times (15th century) mastered the art of baking bread, some started to rarefy the dough with honey, dried fruits and spices. These specialists called themselves Lebküchler, Lebküchner or Lebzelter. They founded a guild in 1643 in the area in and around Nürnberg. At the same time, the Lebkuchen bakers 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 practised the sophisticated art of the chandlers until recent times. The Lebküchner were turned to confectioners later and finally became Konditoreien.

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Wikipedia