Aulak

"Aulak" Coffee Shop: Tatar breakfasts all day, golden "echpochmak" pastries, and a modern take on national traditions.

Located within the Kazan Kremlin, in the building that once housed the administrative offices, is the Tatar coffee shop "Aulak," a project from the FINE GROUP restaurant group. The main idea behind the project is to revive the tradition of "aulak" and create a space for pleasant gatherings with friends and family.

"Aulak" is a heartwarming, age-old custom of informal gatherings in Tatar villages, where people would come together to work and have fun. These gatherings were usually overseen by an adult woman. Young women would bring gifts and ingredients, from which they would prepare pancakes, sweets, or pies. Parents would allow young people to attend "aulak" gatherings, but with the condition that they would complete some kind of task: weaving lace, knitting socks, spinning yarn, or, for young men, making traditional footwear or carving wooden objects. During the work, people could take breaks and have fun – this was the most enjoyable part: playing games, singing songs, dancing, solving riddles, listening to stories, and playing the accordion or "kubyz" (a traditional Tatar wind instrument).

Initially, only girls participated in "aulak" gatherings. Later, young men were also invited. "Aulak" provided an opportunity for young men and women to get to know each other and express their affection.