behind the scenes at kyiv confectionary factory
137 years of chocolate, cakes and cover-ups
I was a Roald Dahl obsessed child. I spent 5 years during college working in a chocolate shop. America’s Manic Pixie Dream Boy is playing the latest version of Wonka this Christmas, sure to be a disappointment I will watch nonetheless.
All to say it makes perfect sense that my second article with the Kyiv Independent is about Ukraine’s most storied candy factory and the cake that made it famous.
Read Kyiv Cake: The legendary sweet of Ukraine’s capital at the Kyiv Independent
I had forgotten how good Kyiv Cake was until I wrote this story. Essentially a giant meringue sandwich, it’s the perfect balance for anyone looking for a vehicle to suck down rich buttercream without abandon. Something you can find at most Eastern European grocery stores in the states.
The history of the factory is a lot more complicated.
What started as Valentin Efimov’s “steam factory for the production of chocolates and candies” in the 19th century would go on to make confections so popular that they outlasted three forms of government — the Russian Empire, Ukrainian People’s Republic, and finally, the Soviet Union.
During its 137 years in operation, the factory has found its way into many key moments of Kyiv’s history — from its workers resisting Hitler to becoming entangled in a trade alliance that led to the EuroMaidan Revolution in 2013.
Here are some additional videos and visuals that support the story.
Some vintage factory footage from 1986 & 1973 that shows factory workers making the cake and people saying how they’ve traveled just to get a fresh cake.
A 30-minute art house documentary from 2009 called Charlie Marx and the Chocolate Factory which explores found footage from the factory and posits owner and former Ukrainian president, Petro Poroshenko, is an oligarch orchestrating a secret sale to AVK, the company’s main competitor.
An image of factory workers decorating the cake with it’s newly standardized images in 1965 which are strikingly similar to what you’ll find in store today.
Reading - The Creative Pragmatist Book by Amy Smilovic (2023) otherwise known as Mom Tries to Get Her Groove Back.
Listening - to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra freshly score Jim Carrey’s 2000 movie, The Grinch.
Snacking - dark chocolate covered pretzels from local chocolatier Wockenfuss.
Watching - an adorable mustelid mock his mother’s capitalist tendencies in Jim Henson’s 1977 take on gift of the magi, Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas.
Smelling - Thierry Mugler’s 2021 Alien Goddess which smells like a Bath & Body Works vanilla wrapped in a TOTEME scarf jacket.
What type of cake do you use to mark important celebrations?
Nuts in desserts are ____________________.
Have I eaten a chestnut? Have you eaten a chestnut? How do we eat chestnuts?
A Ukrainian dish or brand I’d like to know more about is ________________.
Cashews vs Hazelnuts: Go!