Collection

The specific kinds of Russian baking can be seen in this part of the museum: a long "kalach" (a kind of white wheatmeal loaf), a pie, gingerbread. A great amount of bread was being baked in monasteries.

The History of Bread Baking and Bread Trade in Saint-Petersburg.

In 18 c. as Saint-Petersburg was founded as well as regular army the bread needs considerably increased. Russian bread baking was industrialized. Germans were the first corporative bakers. The streets were full of the picturesque bread merchants. At the beginning of 19 century there were the specialized industries of baking as waffle and confectionery industries. Russian merchants started to squeeze Germans bakers.

Small shop that was common for plant and factory districts and suburbs.

Only rye bread was allowed to be baked in a shop like that. A shop could serve 3-4 houses.

The tradition of the tea ceremony.

Samovars appeared in 18 c. They had different forms and sizes and they were spread throughout the homes, tea-shops and restaurants.

Public catering

Saint-Petersburg's restaurants and coffee-shops competed against each other trying to cook the most delicious cuisine.

A dining-room and a kitchen of Saint-Petersburg family (19-20cc.)

Any holiday or celebration were provided with great dinner. The table was covered with white table-cloth, the delicious food and beverages were served in the best dishes.

Bread during the crisis of the social developing.

Unfortunately, bad harvest happened rather often in Russia what was the reason of famine. At any time the government tried to keep people away from it. They opened the granaries and also the bread was given to people by monasteries. There were a lot of charity societies that were founded in 19 c.

The Leningrad Blockade.

The time of the Blockade is the most tragic period of our city. The main problem of that period was the problem of bread baking. For producing it different kinds of substitute were researched to find out what was the most suitable for wide using. General percent of different blends in bread dough reached 40-50%. During the hardest period a bread portion for a child or a dependent was 125 gr. per day. Besides bread, the citizens used as food everything that could be boiled or eaten.

Industrial bread baking

The industrial bread baking started developing in the end of 19c. In the end of twenties of 20 c. the whole chain of enormous bread baking plants was started to build and to equip according to the latest technical achievements.

In the present time there are 24 bread baking plants in Saint-Petersburg.

Special bread.

This collection presents space bread, army ration, etc.

The collection of baking forms and waffle ovens for baking waffles.

(more than 70 items)

It illustrates the period from 18 c. to 20c. It presents the works of West-European and Russian craftsmen. The baking forms were spread upon Russia in 18 c.

The collection of confectionery companies' packing boxes, labels and advertisement (more than 380 items)

It presents the items of Russian companies (the boxes).

The collections of samovars (more than 50 items).

It reflects the period from the middle of 19 c. to thirties of 20 c. The samovars that appeared in Russia in 18 c. were spread fast. As a result 19 c. Was rich with the numerous companies producing them.

The collections of toy dishes (more than 30 items).

It takes the period since the end of 19c. to fifties years of 20 c.

The collection of cookery books, dictionaries, recipe collection, corresponding documents.

The library has more than 3000 volumes about bread baking and cuisine questions. The archives documents include the private collection of the first museum director and founder M. I. Glasimitskiy and S. V. Konovtsev who was the engineer and the historian of Leningrad bread baking branch. Also they include " technical passports" of bread baking plants(1920-1970), etc. The unique exhibit is "artos" that are loaves of Easter bread made sour dough. Traditionally "artos" was brought to Easter church service and it was blessed after the liturgy and afterwards it was placed in the middle of the church for whole Easter week. During this week there are religious procession before sharing blessed bread. On Holy Saturday this bread is divided and given to parishioners to eat it before dinner. Hundreds years ago in Russia "artos" was considered as something divinity. They thought it could cure any disease and it helped to avoid any danger or trouble. Whole or divided loaf was brought home and the believers kept it in the icon-case for a year taking piece by piece if it was necessary.