\t\tAfter finishing the second Carlist war and reigning Isabel II, Don Vicente Hij\u00f3s y Palacio establishes in number 6 of the newly reformed Puerta del Sol in Madrid an office of the most select coffees, chocolates, sweets and teas. It is the year 1852, the Moderate Party governs, the administrative and political reform has just begun, as the
\nworks of Canal de Isabel II, the telegraph for train stations is opened and the Caja General de Depositos is created. Through the city, there is an air of change, and locals seek novelties and delicacies. Given the very high quality of the products offered in his establishment, the reputation of D. Vicente\u2019s business does not take long to soar. It takes its name from the popular origami figure that the people who frequented the \u201ccafes\u201d used to make with paper napkins: La Pajarita<\/p>\n
Among all the products manufactured, their classic candies of 12 flavors (nowadays 17) take on a particular prominence, of which the violet and rose caramel stand out. Don Vicente decides to create the specific mold for these two candies with the shape of the flower from which their respective essences are extracted: violet and rose. Locals do not take long to show their preference for the first one that over time has become a symbol of the typical candy of Madrid, however, La Pajarita continues to manufacture the two varieties with their respective original forms. Very celebrated are also their milk chocolate chocolates with the shape of the Pajarita and their Marrons Glac\u00e9s that still nowadays are only sold in chestnut season from La Virgen del Pilar Feast until the Feast of Saint Jos\u00e9.<\/p>\n
Don Vicente Hij\u00f3s and his wife Do\u00f1a Lorenza Azn\u00e1rez had no offspring and decided on August 4, 1927 to cede the establishment to their nephew Don Lorenzo Azn\u00e1rez Gil by writing before the notary of the town and court of Madrid Don Lorenzo Carri\u00f3n. A few years later, on November 26, 1932, D. Vicente dies in Madrid as a good Christian as he had lived. Don Lorenzo continues with the tradition and painstaking quality of La Pajarita whose fame and popularity were so great that even a zarzuela bears his name. In 1900 the S.A. Casa Dotesio (current Spanish Musical Union), published the Zarzuela LA PAJARITA by Francisco Flores Garc\u00eda, whose protagonist appears in the play as a Madrid-born cheeky lady so mellow and affected, that calls herself after the most famous candy store in Madrid.<\/p>\n
During the forties, the workshop is moved from its original location in the very Puerta del Sol (under the shop) to the Carrera de San Francisco as it was necessary to expand the small factory. Nowadays, the candies and chocolates factory is located in Villaverde council. As his grandfather did, Don Lorenzo Azn\u00e1rez Gil cedes the management of the business to his son Don Lorenzo Azn\u00e1rez Sola in 1954. In 1969 a branch in Calle Villanueva 14 is opened, which in 1991 became the only establishment of La Pajarita where visitors are welcome under an imposing chandelier with 19th century furniture and walls lined with wild silk.<\/p>\n
The long life of La Pajarita has been flooded with many anecdotes, such as the story of the Infanta Cristina de Borb\u00f3n, daughter of Alfonso XIII, in a memoir about the life of the Royal family: \u201cMy brother Gonzalo and I escaped once, but we did not even get to the street. There were many people, many obstacles to go through. Service nobles, halberdiers, servants, polices on duty … They grabbed us and put us inside. I think we had the intention of going to a confectionery to buy sweets. I want to remember that to \u201cLa Pajarita\u201d. Regular and distinguished clients have been Queen Fabiola of Belgium, Lauren Bacall, Infanta Do\u00f1a Pilar or Don Miguel de Unamuno, a great fan of both the art of brain-otology, (name with which he himself called origami), and the candies of such exquisite taste La Pajarita was also a silent witness to Don Jos\u00e9 Canalejas\u2019 1912 murder that took place in front of the San Mart\u00edn bookstore\u2019s window after he had picked up his daily candy order.<\/p>\n
Since its foundation, La Pajarita, has been present in the most important political decisions of the last one hundred and sixty-seven years, since its candies, now as then, are served for the tasting of their lordships both in the Chamber of Representatives and in the Senate. This is how Prudencio Gonz\u00e1lez (usher and archivist of the Senate) remembers it: \u201cIn the 1920s candy boxes were distributed every day from La Pajarita, known as Don Joaqu\u00edn Bau\u2019s sweets, as they were a personal gift from him\u201d. Other institutions that enjoy such tasty sweets are the Royal Academy of History, the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Sciences, the General Council of the Judiciary and boards of directors of important Spanish companies.<\/p>\n
La Pajarita remains today conserving its artisanal way of elaborating the products based on raw materials of the highest quality and manual techniques of the highest artisanal style, giving its candies and chocolates the right balance between a refined flavor and a polished taste to the palate.
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHISTORIA\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
We are proud to keep alive the craftsmanship and legacy of past generations,
\npreserving traditional techniques and recipes since 1852.<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t+<\/a> We strive to maintain traditional methods and processes, ensuring that each product is made with the same care and dedication that has been passed down since 1852. In doing so, we preserve the authentic flavours and exceptional quality found only in traditional chocolates and candies.<\/p>\n Tradition is also reflected in our carefully preserved recipes, which have been refined over time to provide a unique taste experience. We draw on ancestral knowledge and a passion for craftsmanship to create products that evoke a sense of nostalgia and delight.<\/p>\n By choosing our chocolates and candies, we invite you to be part of an enduring tradition. Each bite will bring you back to a time when candy was cherished as a true treasure, and we invite you to enjoy the connection to the past while experiencing the joy and satisfaction of savouring our traditional products.<\/p>\n Heritage is a core value for us, and we strive to convey that sense of authenticity in everything we do. We value and appreciate our company’s historical roots and are proud to continue to honour tradition in every candy we create.<\/p>\n From the selection of the finest ingredients to the final moulding and finishing,
\n\t\t\t\t\tEvery bonbon, chocolate and candy we create is a tribute to our history and the heritage of 6 generations, and we seek to pass on that sense of rootedness in every product we make.<\/p>\nCraftsmanship<\/h3>\n
\nevery stage of the manufacturing process is carried out with precision and passion.<\/p>\n