Patisserie shops are busy these days. Cookies are part of everyday business. 80-hour working weeks are the rule.
What would Advent be without cookies? However, making the tea cakes is time-consuming, a task that many people do not want to undertake. And if you don’t want machine-made cookies from the supermarket, but handmade cookies, then you go to the pastry shop. That is why there is a lot of activity in Viennese confectionery shops in the weeks before Christmas.
600 kilos of cookies per season
We visited the traditional pastry shop Hübler in the 17th district. The bakery has been in full operation since mid-November. “From now until the end of the year, my nine employees and I will work 80 hours a week,” says Alex Hübler. Because Christmas baking is an addition to the normal daily routine. And with 600 kilos per season, the extra effort is obvious. Fortunately, the pastry chef has no staffing problems. He has three apprentices, the apprenticeships are in high demand, especially in a top company, and the selection process is tough.
Vanilla crescents are popular, vegan cookies are flops
Confectionery Hübler has 18 variants in its range and new creations are added every year. But customer favorites are still the classics, such as vanilla crescents, rascals and railroad workers. This year, vegan cookies were put into production for the first time, but they were not well received by customers. For 60 euros per kilo you only want the tastiest cookies at the table. Due to inflation, prices had to rise by 15 percent. This puts Hübler in the middle of the price range if you take the quality and craftsmanship into account.
People don’t like sweets
Do the Viennese still allow themselves this luxury? “They appreciate the quality, but the quantities purchased per person are decreasing,” reports the Viennese pastry chef. Still, his team and the 41-year-old have their hands full.
After Christmas it continues with New Year’s Eve and the matching marzipan pigs etc. Although business is going well, there are fewer and fewer people who want to do the work. “As a pastry chef you have a seven-day working week and that is not for everyone,” says Hübler.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
