Under socialism, cookies and wafers were an integral part of everyday life. Many of them became icons of their time, while others ended up in oblivion. Let’s remember what sweets used to decorate tables during afternoon coffee or served as popular snacks on the go.
The love of the Czechs for cookies
Czechs have long had a warm relationship with sweets. In the last year alone, over 110,000 tonnes of sweets, biscuits and wafers were sold in shops. Among the constants are, for example, Tatanki, which have maintained their popularity for decades. Originally they had a triangular shape and were filled with a hazelnut filling.
Later they were joined by the peanut Horalkas, who also gained their loyal fans.
“When I was little, my favorite was Hořické tubes. My mother always packed them for school in nature together with Tatranka, Vlnká or Albertká,” recalls Jana Málková, now in her fifties from Karlovy Vary.
Wafers – wafers that have disappeared
One of the unforgettable sweets were Vlnky. These wafers had a specific shape – the upper part was wavy, which distinguished them from the others. They were glued with cream and had a light cut. Unfortunately, they disappeared from the market in 2011. Fans tried to bring them back, there was even a petition and a Facebook page “Give us back our Waves”, but production has not been resumed.
Karlovy Vary spa wafers
Spa wafers were considered a luxury delicacy under socialism. They were sold under the name Karlovy Vary wafers, although they were produced in Mariánské Lázně. They were available only in spa towns – Karlovy Vary, Mariánské and Františkovy Lázně. People often carried them as gifts for family and friends.
“When we went to visit outside of Karlovy Vary, we always took wafers as souvenirs. Relatives always wanted them,” recalls witness Lucie Nováková. Wafers were sold either whole, glued together with a nut filling, or cut into triangles, known as Spa triangles. There were also chocolate variants with dark dough and chocolate filling, which were stronger and tasted better to many.
source: Profimedia
Cookies Lucia with a polka dot
Lucia cookies were also among the popular sweets. They were characterized by their colored center – the light vanilla ones had marmalade in the middle, while the dark cocoa ones were decorated with a light dot. Due to their appearance, they often appeared on Christmas tables as an addition to sweets. Unfortunately, even these biscuits did not survive the changes in the market.
Albertky – biscuits for children
Alberts were simple, sweet, hard cookies sold in a clear package with blue lettering. They were especially liked by mothers, because they were also suitable for small children. You could experiment with them – someone glued them with jam, others even with butter. “Sometimes I used to stick two biscuits together with butter, it was excellent,” recalls Lucie Nováková.
Fidorky – an immortal classic
Fidorky are one of the few sweets that have survived to this day. Their name comes from Theodor Fiedor, the founder of the family business in Opava, where they began to be produced. In the 1950s, Fiedor’s company became part of the national enterprise Průmys dravályho péciva Praha, but Fidorky retained its Opavia brand.
source: Profimedia
Butter Cookies Club
“Clubs” were another popular treat that are still made today. Previously, they were packed in transparent cellophane with a red inscription, today you can find them in a yellow packaging with blue text. Opinions about their taste differ – some say they taste the same as before, others think they don’t taste the same anymore.
Sweets that disappeared
Just like Vlnky and Albertky, other sweets also disappeared from the market, for example Svěženky, Sportky, Slavie wafers or the Vanda bar. Everyone has their memories of favorite treats that are no longer available today.
Candy manufacturers under socialism
Under socialism, there were several key manufacturers of biscuits and wafers. Among the most famous were the Meteor in Prague, Kolonáda in Marianskáláň, Jitřenka in Králové-Hradec, gingerbread houses in Pardubice, Opavia in Opava, Deli in Lovos and Zora in Olomouc. These manufacturers supplied the market with sweets that people fell in love with and still remember.
And what cookies and wafers do you remember?
Source: zpravy.tiscali.cz
